The Journey Home
by Ayamegusa
Summary: Betrayal leads to a different path, with consequences that they must face alone. After years of loneliness will they ever find their way back to each other?
1. Chapter 1

Characters of Inuyasha (manga and anime) are owned by Takahashi-san

* * *

The Journey Home – Chapter One 

There it stood in the clearing of the forest. The old bone eater's well. Only it was hardly recognisable because it had been destroyed. Never again did it provide a link between Sengoku jidai and the modern era. Some people have said it was destroyed by the evil hanyou in a fitted rage, and so, they had banished him from ever entering the forest again. Was the well destroyed by him? Until this day, no one knew for sure. The hanyou was never seen again.

* * *

Two figures sat near the edge of the cliff. They were watching the sun set together, their hands had strayed, so that they were now intertwined together. They sat there in quiet contentment. Anyone that happened to come across them would think they were husband and wife. In some ways they were, except they weren't married. 

The young woman leaned against the hanyou's shoulder. In return, he wrapped his arm around her, he sighed almost dreamingly. This was where he belonged, with her, with Kagome. It seemed long ago that Inuyasha and Kagome had first met under the Goshinboku tree. It wasn't the most pleasant experience. Firstly a centipede youkai telling her she had a jewel and then trying to eat her because of it, then a strange looking boy telling the same girl she smelt because she looked like some other girl he knew. Kagome started giggling.

"Oi", was the Inuyasha's reply, "what are you laughing for?"

Kagome's seemingly innocent reply was, "Oh, nothing, nothing at all." Silence fell on them again.

Memories were coming back to them, the shattering of the Shikon no Tama, Sesshoumaru, Shippo, Kikyou, Miroku, Sango, endless hordes of youkai, and Naraku. He was still on the loose and was in hiding. Inuyasha couldn't help but think that he was a pain the arse. Nevertheless, Naraku was smart, always seemed one step ahead of him, plus he was a good manipulator. It irritated Inuyasha to no end, what was he planning for this time? He wished he would just pop out and have a fair and honourable fight. But then he would just be dreaming. He knew what those sorts of people were like. Irritating, but the most difficult to get rid of.

However, the thoughts of his friends and potential allies gave him comfort. They were strong and reliable and he knew if they stuck together, they would pull through somehow and still be alive to tell the tale. Another thought came up.

"Do you really have to go so soon?" asked the hanyou.

"I'm afraid so. I do have a big exam coming up." Kagome saw Inuyasha's reaction.

"But you know you're always welcome to come over and stay for the night."

Inuyasha's reply sounded hopeful and shy, "You really mean that?"

She smiled softly and held his hand once again.

* * *

It was almost dark by the time Inuyasha and Kagome were at the well. 

"You promise to come by for dinner tomorrow? My family will be happy to see you."

"I promise Kagome. Only if your mother doesn't serve that curry stuff."

Kagome giggled then kissed him on the cheek. "See you tomorrow then".

She sat down on the side of the well and swung her legs into the mouth of the well. Then she disappeared into the well in a flash of blue light. Inuyasha looked down into well and wondered if he should give her a gift tomorrow. He never got the chance to give it to her.

The years had past.

* * *

Well what do you think? 

It's my first fiction so any comments will be appreciated


	2. Chapter 2

Inuyasha (anime and manga) belong to Takahashi-san

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The Journey Home – Chapter Two 

Kagome was in university now and was currently in one of the lectures, while her mind was somewhere else.

It had been years since she had last seen Inuyasha. When he didn't turn up on the promised day, she was preparing for a big argument. She was going to pretend to ignore him when he did decide to reappear. But as the days past, she began to get worried.

She tried using the well, hoping that she would be able to pass through to the other side. There was a flash of blue light and then nothing. She looked up. She saw the roof of the well house. She blinked a couple of times to make sure she wasn't dreaming. She was hoping that she was still dreaming, because she could still see the roof. She tried digging at the bottom of the well hoping it was some big mistake. Tears started flowing from her eyes, as the desperation grew.

She called out his name.

No reply came for her.

"Higurashi?"

Kagome wondered who it was.

"Higurashi, the class has finished."

Kagome snapped out of her day dream. She looked to her left and saw Hojo, who had a worried expression on his boyish face.

"Um…it has?" Kagome answered.

Hojo frowned. Ever since she came to school on a regular basis, her mind seemed like it was somewhere else. He was determined to find out, whatever it was. However he was hoping that Higurashi was thinking about him. He started blushing as he turned to look at the young woman, to only find she had disappeared.

* * *

Kagome returned to the shrine that was her home. She passed by the ancient tree, sighing softly. She missed him. She had been trying for years to pass through the well. She had even taken up to researching any old scrolls relating to the history of Sengoku jidai. Nothing was found. She hoped she would somehow find her hanyou again. She would hold him and never let go. Then, when she was brave enough, she would tell him that she loved him. She blushed at the thought.

Someone approached behind her and tapped her on the shoulder.

"Inuyasha!?" but it wasn't him. It was Hojo.

Hojo's worries grew once again.

"Higurashi, I think we need to talk."

* * *

Until next time... 


	3. Chapter 3

Inuyasha (Manga and Anime) are owned by Takahashi-san

* * *

The Journey Home – Chapter Three 

Inuyasha had found the perfect gift for Kagome; it was inside a small decorated red pouch which was safely tucked inside his haori. He couldn't wait to see Kagome again, even though it was only yesterday, he had already missed her.

The forest was unusually quiet.

Inuyasha looked around, not sure if it was a good sign or not. It usually wasn't.

It was then the chaos happened.

* * *

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Inuyasha wandered aimlessly around the countryside. He wasn't sure what had happened. One minute he was heading towards the well, the next minute he was banished from his own forest.

It had started with Sango shouting at him demanding why he had destroyed the well.

Wait a minute. He had destroyed the well? He wasn't even near it.

Then it was Shippou and Miroku, not looking too happy. They were furious.

Inuyasha looked at them in confusion, silently asking why this was happening.

They were too angry to notice.

They kept shouting cruel, hateful words to him and he didn't even know why. The sounds and voices echoed in his ears and he felt the world was spinning uncontrollably.

Inuyasha felt something horribly familiar with this situation, and he didn't like it. He shouted at them to stop, that they were being stupid.

They began throwing their weapons at him. He thought that they were being controlled. Thought it was a cruel joke, just to mock him. But somehow he knew that these people were his friends and that they were attacking him on their own free will. So there was only one thing he could do.

He ran.

Everyday he tried to return, but Shippou would always sniff him out, and then they would attack him again.

Finally after a year later, Inuyasha gave up and never returned to the village. He felt betrayed, by his own friends. He tried to feel angry, ripping everything in his sight. But everything remained intact. He felt nothing, only a broken heart. How was he ever going to get to Kagome now? He wasn't even allowed near the forest anymore…

He would find a way, even if he had to wait five hundred years just to see her. Or maybe he could be reincarnated when he died.

But why would Kami would want him to live in this world again?

He guessed he would be cursed forever.

The air was beginning to change. Inuyasha felt a familiar presence, footsteps padding towards him, and then he saw a familiar face.

"Inuyasha," Kikyou said, "What are you doing here, alone?"

When he didn't reply, she smiled, almost a cruel smile. "Where are your friends?"

But Inuyasha wasn't listening. Something else had caught his attention. It was a voice. A women's voice, and it was calling to him.

Inuyasha's voice was barely a whisper, "Kagome?"

"No, I am not her."

Her voice was smooth and calm, yet it had an air of authority to it. Inuyasha took a glimpse at the silhouette, and saw that she had long flowing hair and clothing that he could recognise but couldn't remember from where. He could feel her pure energy emanating from her. He guessed that she was a miko of unspeakable power. Maybe she was here, he thought, to kill him. It didn't matter to him anymore.

"Do not be afraid. I am Midoriko. You will assist me, my hanyou."

Inuyasha didn't have time to answer the brief introduction, because suddenly there was a flash of light and what appeared to be a trail of souls was flowing out of Kikyou.

Kikyou gasped, as her life force drained away from her. And with another flash of light the souls headed straight for the hanyou.

He blacked out.

When he came to, he was alone again. Kikyou had disappeared once again. Inuyasha looked at his surroundings. He got up, and then he started to head off in another direction. His legs felt wobbly from the strange light he had just experienced. He felt somewhat different, neither anger nor fear. But he felt horribly empty.

He knew now what his goal was, to kill Naraku and obtain the Shikon no Tama.

Without another thought he disappeared into the forest.

The winds blew through the trees, creating haunting sounds as it passed through the leaves. No birds could be heard through the forest.

It was quiet.

It was lifeless.

Like it had lost its soul…

Just like Inuyasha felt he had.

* * *

Until next time… 


	4. Chapter 4

Inuyasha (manga and anime) are owned by Takahashi-san

* * *

The Journey Home – Chapter Four 

Inuyasha stood at the edge of the cliff. He was looking over the edge surveying the results of a fight. There was a steady stream of a putrid smell. It was coming from Naraku. He was finally dead. It took at least seven days for Inuyasha to finally destroy him. Those days felt like a blur to him, and he didn't know how he had won the fight. He just did, by himself. No Kouga or Sesshoumaru.

Kouga had laughed at him and completely refused saying that without Kagome, he would never have a chance of winning because he was so weak, nor he will ever get help from him. His brother was no where to be found. However he knew that his brother would leave him for the final blow, it was his battle anyway. Or he was just lazy.

In the near end of the battle, Inuyasha was beginning to get tired. It was a constant game of cat and mouse and he would always plan his next attack at least the day before. But something would not let him quit, and he kept going. If no one would help him, he did not care. Not any more.

Then Naraku was gone.

His thoughts were on the fight.

It was on the seventh day that Inuyasha had pierced his heart with Tessaiga; he felt the wind pick up from the oversized fang and he knew that the fight was his. The dark hanyou was shocked as Inuyasha's eyes began to change, but not the blood of a youkai, he felt a purifying force radiating from him. Inuyasha's eyes became the purest black, his hair whipping from the unknown force. The light stung Naraku's eyes and then he felt a horrible burning sensation.

That bastard was trying to purify him! He tried in vain to remove himself from the hanyou's piercing light but found that he couldn't. Somehow Inuyasha had immobilised him, Naraku was unable to retaliate. He saw the reaction from his piece of the Shikon no Tama with the hanyou's power. The jewel glowed, crackling with dark energy.

He would never let that bastard win.

The burning only got worse. It felt like he was being eaten alive. He had thought he would die by the hands of his beloved Kikyou, not some rejected hanyou.

He suddenly grinned; he knew what kind of trouble he had caused the hanyou. And he would never tell the hanyou, he would just have to find out for himself.

The perfect betrayal.

"You think you have killed me, you filthy hanyou," Naraku sneered, "but you would still have to collect this jewel again."

With those last words, Naraku began to laugh menacingly; the corrupted jewel began to glow. It then shattered. Inuyasha could only watch helplessly as the shards were thrown into different directions.

He hated when things happen like this.

When the dark hanyou known as Naraku disintegrated into shouki, Inuyasha manoeuvred himself to land gracefully onto the edge of the cliff. The stench was still there, but he knew in his mind and soul that he was finally gone.

And that he would not be regenerating un-expectantly for a very long time.

Inuyasha had made sure of that.

A figure was approaching the hanyou. Inuyasha took no notice because he knew who it was.

"Inuyasha, I know you can hear me." The voice was cold and held no emotion.

"Are we leaving now Sesshoumaru-san?" He replied softly.

Inuyasha turned around and began walking down the path towards the forest. His older brother frowned. Inuyasha was hardly polite, even to him, his vocabulary consisted words of a rude and arrogant nature. It felt wrong, but he did not like the way that his younger brother was acting. He started to follow the same path towards the forest, keeping a watchful eye on the hanyou.

* * *

"Oh! I'm sorry Hojo-kun, I didn't realise it was you." Kagome began to feel nervous, she didn't mean to say Inuyasha's name out loud. But Hojo took no notice. 

"I am worried about you Higurashi. You always seem so distant. Like you're in another place."

Kagome sweat-dropped, had she been that obvious?

"Please tell me what's wrong. I know I'll be able to help you." Hojo's spirits were lifted; he knew that this will impress her for sure. Hojo looked up, to find that Kagome was staring at the tree.

"You can really help me?" She whispered to him, she was almost in tears.

"Yes, just tell me." He answered; he didn't mean to get her upset.

And she did.

Kagome explained everything from the beginning and never left anything out. Her face lit up every time the hanyou was mentioned. She explained what he was, where he came from, his battles, his quirks, and Kagome would sigh every so often, Hojo noted. Kagome explained their first meeting, finding the Shikon no Tama, and also the relationship between Inuyasha and Kikyou.

She went on about the friends and foes they had met along the way. Her voice was animated as she continued to explain about her friends, their strengths and odd habits, and how they were trying to find their enemy, Naraku.

Kagome's voice changed again, it became distant as if reliving a sad memory. She told of the betrayal that had happened an odd fifty years ago in the past. Her friends had also met foul play with this Naraku through curses and murder. She had made it seem that this Naraku was the one responsible for all this mess, and for being a complete pain in the arse.

But her friends would continue to fight on and search for him.

If she could get back there, that is.

Hojo was left to think about what she had just said. He found that she really loved the boy she was describing. He felt a bit downhearted; however he was going to help her, just to see her smile again.

"I'll see you here tomorrow. I know I'll come up with something." He said with sincerity. And he did get his wish. She smiled.

* * *

It was dinner time at the Higurashi household and jii-chan was unusually late. Souta was about to go and get him when the old man ran in. 

Jii-chan was out of breath by the time he reached the dining table. "I've found it! I've found it Kagome!" He looked very pleased with himself for he had found a scroll that described a story about Inuyasha. He was sure of it.

Kagome looked at the old scroll. It didn't actually say it was Inuyasha, but it had talked about a hanyou. Some of the text was difficult to decipher because of the writing style but never the less the scroll was in good condition, so she began to read:

"_I was travelling through the forest with my apprentice; he was going on about how he was feeling dark jyaki in the surrounding area. I told him to mind his own business. I heard a fierce fight going on further into the forest. I knew to stay away, but somehow I was drawn to it. _

_Then I saw them._

_A human and a youkai were fighting. At closer inspection I noticed that this man was nothing but a youkai. His hair was pure white and his eyes, I believe were the devil himself, glittering like fire. By his aura I sensed that he was a hanyou. Half man, half beast, such a filthy creature. His mother must have abandoned him when she found out. Those things should never exist. _

_However, I was taught that hanyou were supposed to be a weaker breed and die very young. This creature was fighting a full-blooded youkai that was obviously more powerful. But the youkai was losing. Why? I thought it was not possible. Then I saw it, that hanyou had grace and great skill as a samurai. The fight continued, blood spraying everywhere, and with one final swing, the youkai was dead. I noticed something else, around his neck there was something glowing, I felt its immense power and I decided it was not safe to be around this hanyou. My apprentice and I quietly exited the scene. But I had a bad feeling that the hanyou was watching us…"_

The rest of the scroll was useless, but Kagome had found new hope. There wasn't anything written about how or if the well had been destroyed. But this was good news. This meant that Inuyasha was still alive in the past.

A thought puzzled her. The story didn't mention anything about her friends; it seemed that he had fought alone. Was he alone? She had not liked that thought. She was more determined to find him.

If only she could reach him.

* * *

Until next time... 


	5. Chapter 5

Inuyasha (anime and manga) are owned by Takahashi-san

* * *

The Journey Home – Chapter Five 

Kagome was in one of her classes again. The lecturer was talking, Kagome wasn't listening. In truth, she was thinking about Inuyasha again. Everything and everyone seemed to remind her of her hanyou. She let out a sigh and started fiddling with one of her pens.

Hojo was watching her from a few seats back. After class he would talk to her.

* * *

"Your uncle's friend?" Kagome asked. Hojo and she were sitting with her old high school friends chatting about random gossip under the cherry blossoms. Her friends were wondering if Hojo was going to ask Kagome out, because he looked very pleased with himself. They knew that he still didn't know about Kagome's attractive foreigner boyfriend. They leaned forward so they could hear more clearly.

"Yes, he's a monk and he may be able to help you. You may be able to get back there to you know, your friend." Hojo stated.

Kagome wasn't sure what to say. After all these years, she would hopefully see Inuyasha again. She couldn't miss this chance.

"When will I be able to see your uncle's friend?" Her voice sounded hopeful. Hojo smiled.

"I'll bring him over to your place this afternoon or early tomorrow. Is that alright?" Hojo saw the sparkle in Kagome's eyes as she heard the news. Then she did something that surprised everyone. She stood up and bowed to him; it showed her respect and humbleness to Hojo.

"Thankyou Hojo-kun." Was her simple reply.

Hojo was red in the face. He began stuttering. "Y-you don't have to bow to me Higurashi."

But Kagome was too happy to notice.

* * *

Kagome and her family were waiting in anticipation. They were all hoping that all will go well. Mama could hear the door sliding open, and she let Hojo and another man in. They were seated down and Kagome's mother offered some tea for the guests. Kagome was shocked at the man's appearance and blinked twice to make sure it was what she was seeing. There seated in front of her, was a well dressed man with a very recognisable face.

"Miroku!" Everyone looked at Kagome, then at the man.

"Why yes, that is my name. How did you know?" The man's eyes were twinkling with amusement. Kagome face began to feel quite hot and stammered for an answer.

"Uh…lucky guess?"

The monk let the argument drop. Instead he gracefully sipped his tea, hiding a knowing smile behind the cup. After he felt he was composed enough, he place his cup back down on the table.

"Hojo-kun told me about your situation." He began. "I might have a spell to transport you back to Sengoku jidai."

"I didn't know a monk was able to do that." The reply came from Souta. "Wouldn't you have to be some kind of wizard, like on TV? Like on that magic show and…"

Miroku coughed a little bit. "I do have hobbies you know. A monk's life can be very dull sometimes, just praying and meditating." He nodded giving the impression that he held years of wisdom. Kagome noticed his gloved hand which held the cup. She wondered if he was still cursed.

The monk noticed.

"Ah…one of my hobbies Kagome-san. But my wife won't believe me. She says it is cursed. But I can't help such beauty. The firm and very lovely exteriors…perfection." He sighed dreamily.

"You're talking about cars right?"

Miroku nodded towards Souta.

"Well it depends on what you and I are thinking about."

Kagome sweated-dropped. He was of the same character, even after over five hundred years. The rest of the family were not quite sure if he really was as he said. A monk or something they would rather not discuss with the whole family present. However, his face turned serious again.

"It was said in the stories passed down, that the well was destroyed," he paused for a while and looked at Kagome to see any reaction of his next words, "by a hanyou."

Kagome narrowed her eyes but let the monk continue.

"This was your way of travelling back and forth between times. However if I am able to bring you back to Sengoku jidai, the well may be repaired and the portal will be able to reopen again. But anything could and will go wrong, are you sure about this?"

Kagome didn't hesitate. She wanted to go back, she had to find him.

Miroku smiled warmly.

"I'll let you get prepared." With that, he went outside to prepare the spell; he was followed by jii-chan, Souta and Hojo. Kagome was left with mamma in the living room. Her mother was smiling.

"I have everything ready for you." Behind her was Kagome's yellow giant back-pack filled with food and clothes. Kagome smiled. Her mother was so efficient it was sometimes scary. But she hugged her mother instead.

"Invite Inuyasha-kun for dinner alright?" Her mother said. Kagome nodded her head, and both of them went outside.

In front of the Goshinboku tree, a large circle was drawn with a star pattern and strange symbols were drawn in the middle. Jii-chan was frowning at the foreign design.

"You better make sure my grand-daughter arrives safely or I'll put a curse on your grave stone".

"I assure you, it is perfectly safe." Miroku said calmly. Inside he was hoping that it will work. "If will you please Kagome-san, step inside the circle and do not move."

Kagome did as she was instructed. She was feeling kind of nervous. Miroku began to chant in an unknown language, lighting each candle that stood around the circumference of the circle. The circle began to glow. Kagome's surroundings began to shift and everything gradually became a blur. Souta and jii-chan were shoutingto her to come home safely and bring Inuyasha home to visit. The chanting in Kagome's ears grew louder, until darkness had engulfed her and she couldn't hear anymore.

In the modern era, the circle was empty. Miroku looked at now the empty space. "I apologise for my ancestor." He then began to pray.

"She will be alright Miroku-san?" Hojo asked, after Miroku had finished praying.

The monk nodded his head in reply.

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Back inside the house, jii-chan was thinking very hard, mostly about his grand-daughter.

"I wonder what diseases I can find?"

* * *

Bye for now... 


	6. Chapter 6

Inuyasha (anime and manga) belong to Takahashi-san

* * *

The Journey Home – Chapter Six 

The villagers nearby could see a strange flash of light coming from what used to be Inuyasha's forest. They decided it was best to tell the miko of the village and they hurried in search for her.

Kaede was peacefully gathering herbs in her garden when the villagers arrived. Some were excited, while others were scared. When she heard the news she was surprised beyond belief. Finally after all this time Kagome had come back, she hoped she had Kaede thought. She stood up to brush off her kimono and straighten her aging muscles and bones with a few stretches. Now, hopefully she could finally get the young woman to explain herself and what had happened the past few years. She hurried down the path directed by the villagers.

As she neared the Goshinboku tree, she saw her. Kagome was searching around as if to get her bearings of the area. Kaede called to her and Kagome looked up.

Both looked at each other in astonishment, and then Kagome all of a sudden rushed towards her and hugged her with all of her strength. Kaede was shocked at first but after a while she returned the hug, she was sure now it really was Kagome and not some illusion.

Kagome's eyes were overflowing with tears of joy, she was finally here and in one piece.

"Kaede baa-chan, I'm so glad to see you." Kagome said between sniffles and hugged her again.

Kaede smiled, the first time in a long while. The old miko stepped back a bit to get a good look at the girl in front of her and Kaede wiped a small tear that had managed to appear.

"Come my child, you must be tired. You must tell me of what had happened to you." And with that they walked towards Kaede's old hut.

* * *

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Kaede had heard the whole story. Apparently Kagome was not allowed to pass through the well, and had tried all this time to get back. In vain. Kaede could see that the young woman was trying to hold back her tears. She felt her heart going out to Kagome; it must have been terrible for her to suddenly be unable to travel here so frequently and to not see the people she cared about.

She recalled a conversation between herself and Inuyasha's companions a long time ago; they were furious that Inuyasha had destroyed the well and that he had showed no remorse for doing damage to the well.

So they had driven him out. They even claimed that they had witnessed him doing the deed and when they questioned him he had denied it. The kitsune seemed the angriest of the group and kept accusing him of planning his deed with Kikyou.

When Kaede had heard the claims, something did not feel right. She was sure that the hanyou and the girl from the future were in love, even though they never did say those words she could see it in their actions. She had tried to find the hanyou to talk with him, but she never found him, his companions kept driving him away. Soon they had left as well, saying that they were going to rebuild the exterminator's village. Kaede was sad that they had left and had not tried to make amends with the hanyou. Perhaps now with Kagome she would be able to search for him again. She told this side of the story from the beginning to the end to Kagome.

However she was not sure whether or not to show her the well, she saw that Kagome was distraught enough by the news.

Kagome was shocked. That did not sound like Inuyasha at all. He would never purposefully destroy the well. Well there was one time when she had exams to study for and the time he had gotten seriously injured.

Kagome shook her head. No, she knew the hanyou would never ever do anything so rash, so uncharacteristic. And even if he did, he would always have a reason for doing it even if it did sound silly to her later on. Kagome would know if he had regretted taking action or not. She would always see a depressed look on his face every time he did. Even in battle as she thought on, youkai or humans he killed, like the time he turned into a full youkai and slaughtered those bandits. She had seen it, he was worried and riddled with guilt.

Even when people would accuse him of doing something wrong, like Kikyou had, Inuyasha was angry then. However he was ready to forgive her or anyone who had accused him of killing one of their own or just blaming him for unknown reasons. He would wave it off as if it were nothing.

That was part of his nature, he was very forgiving. He only ever did kill if he was protecting her or his companions.

This story that Kaede had told her sounded very familiar and her heart sank.

It was just like the story of Inuyasha and Kikyou and their betrayal.

Betrayal.

Kagome gasped, it had happened again. She knew it was Naraku, she was sure of it; he was the type that enjoyed manipulating other people. She stood up and was going to search for Inuyasha immediately. Kaede shook her head.

"We must plan our journey child, our other companions are not with us and it could be very dangerous for just the two of us."

Kagome reluctantly agreed. She was going to show just who was more dangerous than her. Her 'companions' can just back off.

* * *

Until next time... 


	7. Chapter 7

Inuyasha (anime and manga) are owned by Takahashi-san

* * *

The Journey Home – Chapter Seven 

It was early morning when Kagome and Kaede had set out. They decided it was best to start early as finding the hanyou would be difficult, and they had a feeling that if Inuyasha did not want to be found they would never find him. It was two days until they reached the nearest village.

"Yes, he has pure white hair and eyes the colour of amber. He's about…this tall," she indicated his height. "He wears a red firerat haori and hakama. Have you seen him?" Kagome pleaded the village elder; the progress was going slower than Kagome had expected. How hard could it be to find someone who wears clothes that would make them standout almost anywhere and everywhere?

The elder seemed to take a long time thinking in which he said nothing, then, "No, I haven't seen such a human." Kagome braced herself before saying, "No he's not a human. He's a hanyou."

The old man's face contorted with disgust. "Why, are you bewitched by this youkai hellish spawn in that you are so willing to find him?"

Kagome sighed in defeat; this was the same answer she got with everyone she talked to. She was about to leave when she heard a young boy's voice.

"I've seen him. He saved my younger sister from those bandits just a few days ago."

Kagome's face lit up. "Really? Do you remember what he looks like? She waited patiently for him to answer.

"Um…white hair and golden eyes," he paused. "He had an ugly green thing with him. I think he was a youkai."

Kagome's hopes were dashed. This guy wasn't him; it sounded more like Sesshoumaru and Jaken. But she was thinking that if she did come across the older brother, maybe he could help them. Or be killed on the spot. Either way, maybe she could reason with him, before he tried to kill her. Kagome shuddered at the reminder of his ice cold eyes. It was hard to believe that Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru were related even though only partially related by blood. However if she did meet with the older brother he might, _might _tell her where Inuyasha went. It was a very, _very_ small possibility.

She couldn't miss this chance. And she prayed to kami that she would still be alive at the end of it.

"Do you know which way he went?"

The boy pointed west. Kagome and Kaede nodded their thanks and headed off to the west not knowing what lay ahead of them.

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Outside the clearing of the forest, there was a stream with clear fresh water. There stood a girl in her early teenage years. She wore an orange and white checker-patterned kimono and was currently trying to catch fish with the stamina and vigour of any young teenager girl.

Jaken was shaking his head, he had wondered why over the years, that Rin, even though she was older was still acting like a child, a hyperactive child. He didn't understand humans at all, let alone allowing them to follow such royalty. He snorted with disgust. Humans!

In the distance, Sesshoumaru was in deep thought; he needed to find his brother again. Over the years he watched from afar as Inuyasha was gaining strength and skill from his battles, he could kill quite efficiently now than he had before, he did not randomly swing his blade around anymore. Before, Sesshoumaru would often compare his younger brother's skill as to one who would simply wave his katana like a flag as if in defeat instead of actually fighting. However as he had seen him in the past years he had become impressed by his skill.

Mildly impressed when one would compare to Sesshoumaru himself he thought.

One strike was all Inuyasha needed for the lethal blow. The strange thing was that he had hardly used Tessaiga as his weapon of choice. It was an ordinary katana used by the samurai, and Sesshoumaru noticed that his brother had also had accustomed himself to various weapons including a bow, arrows and daggers. Whenever he would meet with his brother, he would always see him with a horse loaded with an assortment of weaponry. He was not sure what his brother was up to, but he was going to get the answers soon enough.

That Inuyasha was always a strange one. It must be the blood of his human mother he reflected as he closed his eyes to smell anything peculiar in the area.

A familiar scent passed through the breeze. He took a delicate sniff and his eyes widened suddenly. It was that strange woman that Inuyasha had chosen as his intended. After all this time, that miko decided to make her arrival. The scent was heading in the direction that he was currently at. He decided that he should investigate.

Rin looked up to see the Lord disappearing into the forest. "Sesshoumaru-sama! Where are you going? Wait for me!" Her captured fish was forgotten as she raced out of the water to follow the tai-youkai.

"Rin! Sesshoumaru-sama doesn't need to tell you anything! Rin!"

The girl didn't listen.

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"Kagome maybe we should rest." Kaede didn't leave Kagome to answer and proceeded to sit down on an old log. Kagome followed Kaede's advice, in truth, she was exhausted, but she was hoping to find another clue of the hanyou's whereabouts. Their search for Inuyasha had been fruitless save for a lead towards Sesshoumaru which she was feeling terrified of meeting again.

While they were resting Kagome told the old miko about her life in the future. What she had studied, how her family were doing and other random things concerning things from food to modern technology she thought that would interest Kaede. The old miko nodded and smiled, she had no idea what some of the things that Kagome was talking about, but the girl's topic of food made her mouth water. She asked if there was anything in her bag that they could eat while waiting. Kagome stopped inher ramblings and gave her some delicious looking 'cookies', Kagome had called them and Kaede munched on them happily.

Kagome could see that the face of Kaede's had changed dramatically. When Kagome had met her, just less than a week ago, Kaede had looked older than she really was. But now, Kaede seemed more energetic and she showed it too, she didn't complain once on the journey. But Kaede wasn't the one walking all day. Kagome sighed, looking at the horse that stared back at her with its deep brown eyes laughing at her and her plight.

There was a pause in their conversation, because both Kagome and Kaede had sensed a strange presence coming towards them at a great speed. The two mikos felt the surge of jyaki as it neared closer to them.

Kagome gulped, this was not good. Not good at all.

* * *

Until next time... 


	8. Chapter 8

Inuyasha (manga and anime) belong to Takahashi-san

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The Journey Home – Chapter Eight 

_I sense the jewel shards!_

However she found herself unable to react quickly enough, as she was suddenly pushed towards an armoured-plated chest and a mass of brown fur.

"Kagome, I'm so glad to see you again!" Kouga exclaimed whilst fiercely hugging the startled miko. She tried not to move, if she stayed still long enough, she hoped he would let go ofher. Kouga noticed this and moved himself to hold her hands instead. After the joyous reunion, his face suddenly turned serious as he gazed in her eyes with affection. For some reason it looked quite comical to Kaede and she restrained herself from laughing.

"I hope you have been well, I haven't seen you in ages, where have you been? I was trying to catch your scent when you just vanished. And now, here you are after so many seasons that have passed. I've been so worried about you." His face and tone became grim but passionate, "But now that you're here, every thing will be alright now and soon I'll bring down Naraku and bring his head to you as a gift."

Kagome sweat-dropped, she felt that this was such an embarrassing situation and she thought that wasn't a very romantic thing to say. Nevertheless, Kouga took Kagome's strained smile as approval and bent down to kiss her. Fortunately Kaede interrupted by rudely clearing her throat.

"What do you want ba-baa can't you see that we were busy." He pushed Kagome behind him and he faced the other person who dared to interrupt him, "Don't worry Kagome, I'll deal with this youkai." He cracked his knuckles to try and threaten the intruder.

"I am not a youkai!" Kaede exclaimed loudly and pointed to her kimono indicating her profession. "I am a miko."

Kouga took no notice of the old miko. His attentions were now focused back on Kagome. Kagome wished it wasn't as she tried her best to smile. She found it very difficult.

"K-Kouga-kun it's…uh…lovely to see you um too." Her hands were beginning to get uncomfortably sweaty and so she decided to get down to business. She knew that Kouga could go on forever. She cleared her throat and with a clear voice she asked politely.

"Have you seen Inuyasha?"

About five forms of shock crossed Kouga's face which ranged from being clueless to disbelieving. Then he frowned and gripped Kagome's hands tighter. After all this time, _his_ Kagome was still asking for that stupid hanyou!

"Why are you so concerned about him? Don't you know he abandoned you _and _his friends? He's a liar and a betrayer! You deserve better than that, than to put up with the likes of him. He's just a freakish hanyou, nothing more."

Kagome ignored the hurtful comments. No one would dare say those things about _her _hanyou.

"Have you seen him?" Kagome said with more force.

Kouga was silent for a few moments and then he began stuttering for an excuse. Kagome would not hear it. She focused her eyes on his, willing him to understand the importance of her question. The young miko's face told Kouga that this was a serious matter and so he tried to compose himself again.

"Well, not recently," he began, "only a few summers ago, maybe more."

Kagome couldn't believe his answer that he hadn't seen Inuyasha for years. She was hoping that he would have seen the hanyou from at least a few months ago. But it was wishful thinking. She sincerely hoped that the hanyou was alright. She couldn't bear to see him if he had changed over the years into someone different, someone who she would barely recognise. She remembered the dreams she had before. They were vague, but every time she would see him, he would always have a blank stare. His eyes would focus on her but never were looking at her. He would reach out to her, calling her name but when she tried to touch his hand…she would always wake up, her body shaking all over. That face always unnerved her for some reason. And she hoped that dream would not come true. But right now, there other things to deal with.

"And what were you doing?" Kagome could see that Kouga was beginning to shake slightly, if it was in fear or anger, she could not tell.

"Uh…we were just talking." Then he paused, he hoped she would buy it.

She narrowed her eyes. She didn't.

"Really…," she began slowly, "you had a civilised conversation with this stupid, filthy hanyou?"

"I…uh…never knew you felt that way about him." Kouga said trying to defend himself, did he hear right?

"I was being sarcastic." Kagome responded flatly.

There was a pause, while Kouga was thinking of a reply. Kagome could feel a headache coming on.

"Sar…cas-tic? What's that?" Kouga scratched his head trying to find meaning to the word. Kaede looked puzzled at the word as well.

Kagome rolled her eyes heavenwards. And the heat of the argument was gone, replaced by slight irritation. Kagome decided to change tactics. She decided to turn on her womanly charms, the extra cute effect, involving lots and lots of honey sweetness. Though it never seemed to work on anyone besides Kouga she thought in dismay.

"Please tell me what happened, Kouga-kun. I'll be forever grateful." She used her puppy-dog eyes for the final touch. And it worked its magic as Kagome could see Kouga's chest puff out proudly with confidence once again.

"Of course, anything for you Kagome," he said while holding her hands.

"Just start from the beginning, alright? What happened when you two met?" She didn't want to waste anymore time with the ookami. He was a nice person but his obsession was sometimes annoying.

Kouga decided it was best if he started talking.

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_Kouga was racing along at great speed near the mountainous ranges. He was still on the lookout for that dark hanyou Naraku. Apparently he heard rumours that he had disappeared and was in hiding again. That bastard, he thought, as if he could hide from a full-blooded youkai like himself. He dreamed that one day he would kill Naraku and tell the wonderful news to his sweet Kagome. He would watch her face light up, then she would fall in love with him and finally, he would run with her in his strong arms into the sunset for their bright future together for eternity. _

_That filthy inu-hanyou could never stand a chance against a true leader like him. Kagome would reject that hanyou in a blink of an eye if she knew that it was in fact Kouga who had destroyed Naraku once and for all._

_He ran faster not wanting to waste any more time._

_Of course he never sensed the barrier that was in his path, and Kouga didn't have time to stop. The barrier did it for him. _

_When he came to, Kouga was confronted by the ending of a battle scene. Hordes of youkai lay dead, surrounding a lone person. He noticed that in his hands he held some fragments of a glowing pink jewel. He then realised it was part of the Shikon no Tama, the jewel he himself was looking for. For some reason that had made him angry and the youki inside him became aggressive, wanting the ookami to take action. Kouga growled menacingly and glared at the figure. This person was not allowed to acquire such a jewel. _

_He approached the person, slowly and calculatingly, like a hunter stalking potential prey. He saw that this person had noticed his presence, and the figure turned slightly to show half of his face. Kouga's eyes widened, this wasn't a human it was that hanyou, Inuyasha! _

_Kouga composed himself once more; the hanyou was of no threat to him. Kouga took prideful, determined steps towards him. _

_Inuyasha smiled. _

_Kouga's steps almost faulted, almost. But he continued to advance. The hanyou turned to face him fully now, but his face never changed._

"_Well Kouga-san, I am surprised to meet you here. Did you want something?" _

_Kouga saw his smile. He also noticed that Inuyasha's eyes were smiling as well, like a cat. It made Kouga feel slightly uneasy, but he didn't show it._

"_You want the jewel's fragments do you not?" Inuyasha continued, "I am sorry I cannot allow you." The hanyou's smiled widened, "But perhaps you shall give me yours, Kouga-san?" Inuysha's voice was soft but menacing and Kouga was already losing his patience with the hanyou. _

_His conscious was screaming for him to run._

"_Yeah, yeah why don't _you_ give me those shards you have, they belong to me, inukkoro. Or do you want to fight for it?" He showed an empty hand waiting for the shards. Inuyasha looked at his hand for a while then at Kouga. Inuyasha's face then turned serious._

"_Give them to me, and I will spare your life," was his simple command. He readied his position and drew a little of his katana. _

_Kouga's conscious was echoing loudly in his head. _

_Inuyasha took a step forward. Kouga took a step back. Sweat was starting to form on his brow. This was not the same hanyou he knew. And he was not going to find out. He turned his right heel slightly. Inuyasha's eyes darted towards the movement and he lunged forward at great speed. _

_Kouga was lucky to escape._

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Kouga had just finished his story and Kagome was left to think about what he just told her and Kaede.

"You ran away?" Kagome questioned. Kouga went red with embarrassment; he didn't mean to make it sound like that.

"Well…he could have killed me you know." He started, he didn't like where this conversation was heading.

"What were you worried about? You're supposed to be a full-blooded youkai."

Kouga gulped inwardly.

"Did you see the hanyou in the area Kouga? Kaede interrupted, it was time to know of his whereabouts, even though the ookami had not seen him in a long time.

"Well…no. Not exactly."

"But you're going to help us find him. Aren't you Kouga-kun?" Kagome said sweetly.

"Huh? I am?" Kouga replied dumbly.

The atmosphere around them seemed to get darker all of a sudden. Kouga took the hint with hurried defeat and quickly apologised to Kagome. He had never seen this side of Kagome before and he wasn't about to find out if he had refused. It was better to cooperate now if he ever wanted to win Kagome's heart.

And so, a new if somewhat reluctant member joined the group in finding the elusive hanyou.

* * *

Yeah, another chapter done for now... 


	9. Chapter 9

Inuyasha (manga and anime) are owned by Takahashi-san

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The Journey Home – Chapter Nine 

"Can you find his scent anywhere?" Kagome asked. Another week had passed and still there was no sign of Inuyasha.

"No…nothing. Maybe he hid his scent somehow." Kouga answered while taking another whiff of air. He himself didn't want to meet the inu-hanyou again. Something made his skin crawl the last time Kouga had met him. And his instincts were always right. It had kept him alive for many centuries.

He found it very difficult to track the hanyou's scent as he could not remember what that inu smelt like.

_Did he smell like a wet dog? A pissed off dog? More like he was pissed on._

He began to chuckle.

Kagome gave a very well practiced glare towards the ookami.

Kouga saw the glare, coughed uncontrollably in an attempt to stop his laughing, cleared his throat and very inconvincibly gave a smile towards the young miko.

"Kouga-kun…?" Kagome asked sweetly.

"Yes Kagome?" He answered, happy that his smile had taken effect.

Kagome frowned, "Whatever you are laughing about, it better stop now. And it had better not be about me."

"Uh…uh, that is…," however Kouga felt that his tongue had become unable to form the proper words. Besides, he had suddenly forgotten what he was laughing about.

Kagome had that affect on him.

Kouga smelt again, but no reminder or any hints came to his mind. He had tried numerous times to explain it to Kagome that it had simply been too long for him to recognise his scent any longer, but he found out that the girl would have no argument from him whatsoever. It had made him slightly irritable after a while, so he decided to try a bit harder. He never knew that Kagome could be so stubborn. Even more so than the red-head that occasionally came up into his mind. He wondered what she was doing now. _I bet it's anything better than searching for that stupid hanyou._

"Perhaps we should ask a nearby village," inquired Kaede. "From what Kouga had said that if he is collecting the shards of the jewel, he would probably have assisted the villages in exterminating youkai."

Kagome thought about it for a while and she looked at the older miko. Kaede shrugged her aged shoulders silently saying that it was possible. Anything could be possible really when the hanyou was concerned. Suddenly Kagome smiled and she agreed heartily at Kaede's suggestion.

And so a new direction was taken towards the nearest village.

It was almost nightfall before they had reached the village. But all was not well with the group. The ookami had picked up a very suspicious scent. He couldn't tell exactly what it was. It smelt human-like, two humans in fact. He smelt the air again just to make sure. That same smell floated towards his nose. _Like incense?_

Kouga sneezed.

And he began to have the same feeling of having something crawl on his skin, he suppressed a shiver. However he felt that he should not advance any further, it was possible that a houshi was doing an extermination of the village and he didn't want to be in the area if he was found out. He decided that it was best if he had left. Besides, humans weren't always too thrilled to have an ookami in the area threatening their livestock and causing general harm. He didn't want to cause any annoyances for Kagome.

Kagome had understood completely saying that Kouga did not need to apologise at all, she thanked him saying to take care of himself. Kouga smiled in appreciation and held her hands within his saying: "Don't worry Kagome, I'll be alright," and off he sped away, creating a whirlwind of dust and leaves that rapidly disappeared into the horizon.

The two women continued into the village hoping to find any clues. They were surprised to find that a village elder approached them bowing in apology.

"You are already too late if you were going to do an extermination of youkai." The elder stated.

"Huh?" Kagome answered dumbly, what the hell was this guy talking about?

"He came by and blessed this village." The man elaborated. "He was here only a few days ago. He had a very high spiritual power. I swear he seemed to glow."

"What?" Kagome answered, unable to understand what the man was talking about. Was she missing something, something important?

Kaede who was more in tuned with the whole situation, decided to take over. "I'm sorry but we don't know what you are talking about."

The old man realised his mistake and bowed again. "I apologise, I didn't realise. The houshi-dono you see…gave us quite the impression on the villagers. And well…we can't stop thinking about him."

"Ah…" Kaede said, nodding in agreement, "you must tell us about him, he sounds very interesting." She looked at Kagome, a funny look on her face.

Kagome didn't know what to make of it either. But she followed anyway, this conversation might be interesting.

They walked up to one of the huts in the village and sat on the bench that was in front of the hut. The old man closed his eyes, thinking how he should retell the story of this houshi. He cleared his throat, patting the seat beside him, he offered the women to sit down and they did. Someone from inside, came out of the hut. He was much younger and had rugged good looks. However his eyes searched warily at the two women, especially on Kagome where his eyes focussed on her strange clothes. She offered him a timid smile and the young man blinked, shook his head and went back inside.

"Please excuse my son, he's a shy boy." The old man replied. He then focussed on something in the distance and began speaking; it became obvious that whoever he was talking about, the old man held great respect for this houshi.

"It was about two days ago, our village was suddenly attacked by a horde of youkai. We thought that everyone would perish as we didn't have enough weapons to dispose of them." His eyes flew open in excitement and he stood up so suddenly that it made Kagome and Kaede jump. "There they were the houshi-dono and a boy with him, suddenly out of nowhere. They ran swiftly down," he grabbed his walking stick and swung it around wildly, "he whipped out his katana and swung it around like this," he demonstrated, narrowly missing the two women. "Wiped the whole horde of youkai like it was nothing, it…it was like a big flash of bright light. It was so fantastic." He shook his head and plonked back down on the bench. "They asked to stay the night, and well how could we refuse? But before the sun rose the next day they were gone."

"Otou-san! You shouldn't get so excited with things like this." His son said angrily through the window of the hut. "Besides he wasn't a houshi, they don't use katana. Everybody knows that."

The old man used his walking stick to shove it through between the wooden bars of the window, which his son easily avoided. "As if you know boy, you didn't see him. And he said he was a houshi. Only a houshi of the highest rank would wear fine clothes such as him."

"Yes I did see him," he said as he emphasised every word, "just like everybody else. He wasn't even human."

That comment was instantly picked up by Kagome and she stood up to look through the window. "How did you know he wasn't human?" She said quickly.

The young man had a cautious look in his eyes again and he came outside, "You're not one of them are you?"

"One what?" Kagome said equally cautious.

"A kitsune in disguise," he said slowly and becoming quite red in the face.

"You were tricked by one, weren't you?" Kaede replied, somehow knowing what the boy was going red about.

He waved his arms in front of him frantically trying to feign innocence but his face still remained red. "It-it doesn't matter, I'm sure you're a nice uh…girl," he looked at her strangely again. "Anyway, he's not a human, I saw him."

Kagome found herself leaning unconsciously towards him, waiting for him to continue.

"I saw him by the river and he took off his straw hat and…I saw it."

"What did you see?" Kaede asked.

The man shook a little and twisted his fingers around. "His white hair…and his ears…kami, his ears were like…like," he found it difficult to find the right description and so he pointed.

The two women looked at the direction the young man was pointing.

A dog was sniffing around looking for food.

_A dog!_

Finally, someone had seen him.

"You mentioned a boy, didn't you?" Kaede asked again.

"Yeah, he was wearing some kind of exterminator clothes, I think. They were talking about heading east towards the mountains."

Then Kagome did something unexpected and jumped on the man, hugging him with all her might. The young man found he was unable to respond and went quite red again.

After a while, Kagome and Kaede thanked the villagers and asked if they could stay the night.

Tomorrow they would set out again.

* * *

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As Kagome lay on her futon, she thought back to the previous conversation. She was beginning to suspect that something was going on with the hanyou, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it.

She sighed longingly, she missed him.

Her thoughts drifted along.

They also mentioned a boy in an exterminator outfit. Was it possible that it was Kohaku? Inuyasha must have allowed the boy to follow him so he would be protected. Kagome smiled. That was just like Inuyasha, he wanted to protect everybody.

Kagome hugged the warm futon, wishing it was a warm and cuddly hanyou. She felt so tired, and happily drifted off to sleep.

* * *

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_It was cold, very cold, and Kagome didn't like it. It seemed very familiar._

_She heard someone running. Then saw a figure. Maybe this person could help her. Kagome ran to try and catch up but she couldn't run fast enough. She heard another set of footsteps. She stopped and turned to look behind her._

_It was Kikyou! Kikyou shot her arrow towards the person, which the figure skilfully avoided._

_"Give me the Shikon no Tama. I will destroy it. It was not meant for your hands." Kikyou commanded. She drew another arrow ready to take aim. The person stopped, and turned around._

_Kagome was surprised._

_It was Inuyasha, his expression was vacant, but it didn't stop the girl from trembling with fear. "Take it if you wish, but I will not allow you." Then his voice changed, sounding quite unlike his usual voice. "You cannot purify this jewel." His voice was monotone but it hid a threatening command. He drew his own bow and arrow._

_Then something strange happened to Kikyou and Kagome stepped back in horror. The other miko's face melted away, revealing a man dressed in dark robes, like a houshi. His voice seemed to direct great authority as he addressed the hanyou._

_"How dare you hold the Shikon no Tama in your filthy hands? Only a pure human such as I can purify the jewel."_

_The hanyou offered no response as he drew back the string that held the arrow in place. The arrow glowed with immense light and it was fired straight for the houshi._

_There was a bright flash of light and everything became blindly white._

_Kagome could hear a voice coming towards her._

_"Kagome where are you?"_

_"Inuyasha…" Kagome replied. He was coming for her._

_"Kagome," she heard him say again and again, every time it became louder. She could see a silhouette of someone and she caught a whiff of something delicious._

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"Mmm…make me breakfast inu-chan." Kagome said sounding happily drunk.

Kaede stifled a laugh; she was talking in her sleep again. From the many days that Kaede had travelled with Kagome, it was humorous to hear the pet names she was giving to Inuyasha. If only he could hear them.

Kaede wondered if they would ever find him.

* * *

Until next time... 


	10. Chapter 10

Inuyasha (manga and anime) belong to Takahashi-san

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The Journey Home – Chapter Ten 

Sesshoumaru was watching the sun rise in the horizon. She was coming nearer, that strange miko; he was waiting for her, patiently.

He casually turned his eyes towards Rin as she was picking yet another bouquet of flowers, another decoration for An-Un no doubt or when she thought he was not watching; a spray of them would be found on his pelt of fur. An urge to roll his eyes became ever more evident, but he resisted. Sesshoumaru was not one to display such vulgar behaviour.

And so his eyes focussed back on the sun rise, waiting patiently for the miko.

The sun rose higher creating brilliant hues that would make anyone stare at it in awe, and yet he still waited.

His eyes narrowed ever so slightly, she was taking too long.

Sesshoumaru was one who was patient. He was brought up to be patient. He was always taught not to do anything in an irrational manner. To blindly help others was a matter that he despised.

Life always took its course; youkai and humans existed in their own lives and made their own decisions. Sesshoumaru was not one to meddle in anyone's business. Nor would he be the one that everyone could rely on.

He had only one goal in life: to become the most powerful youkai to exist and to let it be known by anyone who opposed him.

He _never_ helped and _never_ waited, for _anyone_.

However, when he would wait for something to happen, it was an irritating business, He would wait, patiently as he was brought up to be. He would wait and wait. He would not sigh in irritation and go there himself as he knew what other certain people would do. And he would not start drumming his fingers on the rock he sat in boredom.

Pure-blooded youkai such as him did not behave in such a crude manner.

But it did not stop him from thinking about it.

He thought about the strange miko who was slowly making her way towards him. She was an odd one, her behaviour, the way she dressed. No logical explanations could be thought up by the tai-youkai, but only one: she was completely mad. And he supposed whatever family she came from was mad as well. He suppressed another urge, this time to shake his head.

_It must be from her mother's side._

However he had plans for her, big plans and nothing would get in his way. Even his own brother would be unable to stop him. Delicately he sniffed the air again, and did not notice anything unusual. Nor did he smell any youkai that would threaten her life. But he did not need to worry; no one would dare interfere with what he planned for her. No change in the direction of scents, meant that Kagome was definitely heading in this direction.

His mind began to drift idly again as he thought of his grand plan for the miko. _What colour would suit her eyes? _It was a difficult question and he needed the correct answer if his plan was going to work. Mistakes were unacceptable. Perfection was necessary.

Kagome needed to be perfect if Sesshoumaru wanted to present her to his brother properly.

Sesshoumaru was playing a very dangerous game. A game where everything must be planned, properly executed. The rules were simple, the players ruthless. Any mistakes would lead to dishonour.

Not to mention embarrassment for centuries to come.

His thoughts came to focus on whether the girl's hair should be tied up or down. Weighing the two options, he came to the conclusion that he would need to see the girl before making any final decisions.

Inuyasha would not be able to resist, he thought.

He was not the only one who could play this game. Sesshoumaru was not one to be beaten.

Sesshoumaru's inner peace was disturbed by a grumbling stomach. He saw that Rin was looking at her stomach in thoughtfulness.

"Rin, look for food if you are hungry."

Rin nodded her head energetically and ran off in search for food.

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"Rin, look for food if you are hungry." Jaken mocked gloomily.

Sesshoumaru always did this to him. He always told Rin to search food herself; afterwards he would 'politely' ask Jaken to follow her. Jaken sighed. Humans!

"Jaken-sama, don't sigh like that. It makes me unhappy." Rin said innocently, while eating some stolen melons.

"I don't care what you feel Rin!" Jaken shouted back.

However Rin was not listening, for she heard footsteps approaching. She gasped and quickly ran behind Jaken. Jaken frowned and readied his weapon, this was not his day. However, Jaken didn't need to feel threatened, because he found it was only two humans coming towards him. He sighed again. Fancy he being scared of humans, females no less as he smelt the air.

"Jaken-sama, isn't that Kagome-sama?" Rin asked as she saw who was approaching towards them on the dirt-worn path. It had been a long time since she had seen her.

"What!" Jaken said with dismay, "That weird girl that the hanyou is in love with? He has bad taste." Jaken finished with a snicker.

He didn't see the heavy bag that went flying directly towards him.

"Kagome-sama it is you! How have you been?" It was obvious that Rin was excited. She had run up to the younger miko and launched herself into Kagome's arms.

At first, Kagome was a bit surprised by the sudden appearance of a girl, a girl wearing a checker-patterned kimono. Kagome was hesitant with her guess, but looking down at the girl's youthful face, she had no reason to be doubtful.

This was good news for Kagome. Rin's appearance meant the Sesshoumaru would be in the area too. She mentally crossed her fingers. This was her chance. Kagome opened her mouth to speak…

"Come, Sesshoumaru-sama has been waiting for you." Rin said happily making Kagome close her mouth again.

Kagome's eyes widened. "He…has?" She said slowly and the girl nodded in enthusiasm. Rin began dragging her along, with Kaede following closely behind.

Kagome could only think about what she was about to go through when she would meet with Inuyasha's older brother. Suddenly she didn't feel the same enthusiasm that Rin felt as she dragged her along. But she was willing to try anything, even if it did mean that Sesshoumaru would kill her. That feeling of dread only grew.

* * *

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"Sesshoumaru-sama! Sesshoumaru-sama!" Rin shouted excitedly while dragging Kagome along. Sesshoumaru turned around, very elegantly and addressed the young miko with upmost grace and charm.

"Finally you are here." His voice was cold and made the atmosphere seem chillier then it really was.

"You were waiting?" Kagome asked, a little confused, not knowing if he was joking or not.

"Yes. You certainly took your time getting here." His tone of voice did not change, although Kagome detected the slightest feeling of irritation on Sesshoumaru's part.

Kagome could feel her anger growing. Right now she didn't care if the tai-youkai would kill her. Imagine him telling her that she was late. Kagome was not one to be late for anything, although a certain hanyou would think otherwise.

Tai-youkai or not, she was going to tell him off.

Sesshoumaru raised a hand to affectively silence her.

"There is no time to waste. Let us leave." And with that he strode off, followed by a skipping Rin and an injured toad youkai.

Kagome looked at Kaede with a surprised expression.

"Should...we be following him?"

Kagome always knew that Sesshoumaru was unpredictable,could they trust him?

"Come child! Don't just stand there! You have someone to find!" Kaede said while starting to follow Sesshoumaru. Kaede had a smile on her face.

Kagome grinned, she did have someone to find. However she frowned suddenly and shouted as loud as she could. "And you better stay where you are dog boy, or I'll swear, I'll use my miko powers on you!" With that out her system, Kagome marched on.

Sesshoumaru ignored the miko's outburst. However his thoughts were on how the girl's personality was as mad as her style of dress. He hoped his younger brother would appreciate what he was doing for him. After this business was over, his brother would have a huge debt to pay.

* * *

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Meanwhile, faraway in the mountains, a loud sneeze could be heard.

"Are you alright Inuyasha-san? You might be getting a cold." It was Kohaku's voice.

"No someone must be talking about me." Inuyasha replied as he rubbed his nose a bit in irritation.

They were currently picking herbs for medicine.

"It must be a girl." Kohaku said playfully.

Inuyasha smiled sadly but said nothing, as his mind was somewhere else.

"Something is coming, get ready Kohaku-kun." Inuyasha warned.

Both readied their positions.

* * *

Until next time... 


	11. Chapter 11

Inuyasha (manga and anime) are owned by Takahashi-san

* * *

The Journey Home – Chapter Eleven 

It was currently nightfall. The humans of the group were fast asleep. Sesshoumaru and Jaken were still awake watching over the group. Jaken looked up towards him and he could see that Sesshoumaru had just closed his eyes. Not in sleep, Jaken figured, but in deep thought. Jaken decided to voice his own thoughts.

"I still don't know why you were willing to bring two more weak humans." Jaken whined. He was not happy.

"Are you questioning me, Jaken?" Sesshoumaru replied smoothly, opening his eyes to look down at the toad youkai.

Jaken visibly gulped, it was never good to argue with the tai-youkai, "N-n-no…of course not, Sesshoumaru-sama! I would never question you."

"Good. Now be silent." Sesshoumaru commanded.

Jaken shut his mouth. The next few hours of the night were uneventful.

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Kagome was wandering through the forest. She briefly wondered why she was walking through the forest when it was in the middle of the night. She could feel so silly sometimes, plus it was so cold, realising only then she didn't have a jacket on.

She walked deeper into the forest. Her feet seemed to be taking her somewhere. Suddenly her feet stopped, and she had noticed it now. In the middle of the clearing of the forest, there stood an old hut.

She heard many footsteps coming quickly from behind her, like running. She peered nervously behind her shoulder and found that they were a group of houshi, all of them wearing a determined expression. The leader of the group shouted towards the hut.

"Come out hanyou! We know you are in there. You have tried to steal the Shikon no Tama from a very powerful miko before. I don't know how you came to possess it, but we cannot allow that. We will pray for your cursed soul when we have released you from the evil that was born within you."

Kagome decided that she didn't like this houshi very much. She figured he must have something against hanyous in general. Kagome wanted to kick him in the shins, but found that her legs were stuck to the ground. She suddenly turned her head towards a sound that was coming from the hut.

A person slowly opened the door and he stepped out. Most of his face was covered in the shadows but Kagome had a pretty fair idea of who it was. The head monk spoke again.

"Surround him!"

Inuyasha didn't even flinch. Instead he spoke in a soft voice.

"Take it if you wish." And didn't say anything further, but that was the last straw for the houshi. He threw some ofuda towards the hanyou. It never reached him. Instead it was deflected by a barrier and the ofuda was lit up by flames. The monks gasped in surprise.

"How dare you! Hanyou and youkai are not supposed to have such pure power of the houshi and miko." He was sounding furious now.

"Then what is stopping you from taking it?" Then Inuyasha started chanting in that same strange voice that Kagome had heard before.

And suddenly he glowed.

Everything went white.

Kagome was struggling to keep her eyes open. Why did he have to be so bright? The light wasn't fading away.

"Will you turn off the light Inuyasha," Kagome said drowsily, "some of us are trying to sleep."

Inuyasha started to giggle.

_I never knew Inuyasha could laugh like a girl._

He didn't stop laughing, in fact, it only got louder.

* * *

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"Kagome-sama is funny. You can't turn off the sun." It was Rin. And it was morning. Kagome groaned and sat up from her sleeping bag.

"You dream about my brother in your sleep?" The tai-youkai asked the young miko. Kagome smiled sadly and looked towards the horizon. Sesshoumaru decided to question her further.

"What do you dream about?" He wanted to know her answer.

"That…he's always alone…and there is always someone who is after him, youkai, houshi and miko. What does it mean?" She looked towards him, tears pooling down her cheeks, "I promised him that I would stay by his side…and I wasn't even there to help him. I don't even know if he's alright."

Sesshoumaru did not know how to answer the distraught girl. He never had to deal with emotional females, it was not his business.

After Inuyasha's supposed allies had abandoned him for reasons he was not sure of, it was rare that he would meet with his brother. He had thought that Inuyasha had died from grief. It seemed to be quite common in humans he thought. And he had not seen his brother for many seasons.

However when they did meet, after Inuyasha had defeated Naraku, Sesshoumaru had noticed a strange aura emanating from him. Sesshoumaru dared not to step any closer towards his brother, he had felt the energies trying to engulf him. It was energies that were similar to those who had spiritual powers. It was first time Sesshoumaru had encountered such a thing and it had intrigued him.

Over the next few meetings with his brother, he had noticed that Inuyasha was collecting the shards of the Shikon no Tama again. He had asked why he was doing such a foolish thing and he was uncharacteristically surprised with Inuyasha's response:

"Because it is my duty," the hanyou would say with an impassive voice.

Sesshoumaru did not know what was going to happen when the jewel was complete. That jewel was clearly a menace and there was no shortage of youkai or houshi and miko that were after his brother.

Sesshoumaru could still hear the soft whimpers from the girl and he turned his head towards her. He saw that the older miko was trying to comfort the girl. His eyes narrowed in scrutiny over the young girl's figure and noticed that Kagome appeared to have lost some weight over the years.

It was the same with Inuyasha as well. He would never see him hunting for food or hardly at all. He frowned, although it was not visible to the others. Apparently their separation had affected them in a bad way. He hoped he would not be too late before they would meet again.

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Kagome was continuing to follow in Sesshoumaru's direction, although she wished he would walk faster. She thought he was doing this on purpose, but she knew her arguments would fall on deaf ears. She continued to walk, while half admiring the scenery and half listening to Rin's cheerful conversations.

She felt a sudden cold breeze and she was sure it wasn't the wind. She looked to her right and saw strange lights hovering in the distance. Kagome felt herself being pulled towards the light and so she went ahead towards them.

Kaede looked on also seeing the strange lights and became worried. She felt a tug on her sleeve.

"Kaede-sama, where is Kagome-sama going?" Rin asked, while looking in Kagome's direction.

"She's just gone to see someone." Kaede replied.

* * *

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Kagome reached the clearing where Kikyou was standing.

It was Kikyou who broke the silence.

"Did you run here hoping to find Inuyasha with me?" She smiled as if she was mocking her.

Kagome felt a jealous spark. This was not the time to be feeling jealous, Inuyasha wasn't even here. Kagome answered hesitantly. "Do-do you know where he is?"

Kikyou's eyes narrowed. "Perhaps he is in hell." It was a cruel joke, but then she added, "And yet he is always following you."

"What-what are you trying to say? He-he's always worried about you." Kagome tried to say, but Kikyou looked at her with sad eyes.

"Really?" Kikyou eyed Kagome carefully which made the girl feel very uneasy. "Inuyasha worries about everyone. But he cares for only one. It is funny how everyone misinterprets it, even you sometimes." Kikyou turned and looked up towards the sky, her tone was soft yet it held sadness, "I always wondered what his face would look like when he found out that I was dead, before I was brought to this body. Would he be sad, angry even? I would probably never know. But…" she paused looking back at Kagome, "when you couldn't come back from the well for a very long time…never in my life have I seen someone so broken. Even I, was unable to reach him."

Kikyou put a hand over her heart but she felt no beat to indicate that she was alive. How she had missed that feeling. "Don't push him away because of me. I think it would be good if he saw you again." And with that she disappeared.

Kagome watched as the miko walked away with her soul skimmers trailing behind her.

It was true Kagome felt with a heavy heart. When things concerned Kikyou, she would always try to push Inuyasha away, and then she would always run home. Afterwards she would feel so guilty, in that every time she got back, she would always make amends with the hanyou. Although she thought the others would probably make it worse with their comments which resulted in him being more depressed or angry, she felt her relationship with the hanyou would always stop whenever Kikyou was mentioned.

Back then she was afraid of the growing feelings she was having for the hanyou, it was a feeling she never felt before. And she didn't know whether to ignore them or not. A few times Inuyasha would want to say something to her, but those moments were always ruined and the whole matter would be completely forgotten.

She wanted a perfect boy back then, before her fifteenth birthday. Only that she never knew the meaning of what a perfect boy was. Every time she met one, she got no reaction, no boy that could fit her meaning of 'perfect'.

Hojo had no reaction.

Miroku had a little reaction. But it was nothing, after he felt her behind.

Sesshoumaru just scared the hell out of her.

She sure it wasn't Kouga; she guessed she would always hear how great he was, on and on.

Then there was Inuyasha. They would argue a lot, almost about everything. He would look at her with his amber gaze and her heart would always skip a few beats. He would hold her on his back as he ran through the forests, and she would be secretly enjoying it.

And there were other times, so rare that she would never forget them.

Kagome remembered one of these moments, particularly because it was the first.

They had yet another argument where it again involved Kikyou.

Kagome lay in bed unable to sleep earlier but was slowly drifting towards slumber, when she heard the window softly slide open and she heard someone climbing through the window. She was too sleepy to notice if that person was dangerous or not. Her eyes were still trying to close; when she noticed a pair of golden eyes staring back at her. Kagome gasped at the unfamiliar sight and suddenly opened her eyes, to find nothing.

But she did notice some red fabric quickly disappearing through the window. The girl scrambled out of her bed and ran to the window to look outside, in vain.

"Inuyasha, I know you're out there," she called out to the night. "You can stay here for the night."

Nothing.

"Please, I won't bite I promise. I don't even know what we argued about anymore."

Still nothing.

"I don't have fleas if that's what you're worried about," and then she added quietly. "Please come back."

Kagome closed the window after a while and climbed back into bed. She felt tears forming in her eyes and she quickly wiped them away.

And she slowly fell asleep again.

During the night, Inuyasha did come back in, quite hesitantly fearing that the girl would unexpectedly wake-up again.

And Kagome woke up the next morning to find the hanyou sleeping next to her,on top of her bed covers with a hand over hers. Kagome smiled.

"Kagome, is everything alright?" Kaede asked making Kagome jump out of her reverie.

Kagome looked around her but sensed that Kikyou was no longer in the area.

"I'm alright Kaede baa-chan."

* * *

Until next time... 


	12. Chapter 12

Inuyasha (manga and anime) belong to Takahashi-san

* * *

The Journey Home – Chapter Twelve 

Three days had past and Kagome was getting bored. Only her conversations with Kaede and the over-perkiness of Rin seemed to stop her from wanting to yawn too much.

Only that she found she was too scared to yawn in front of Sesshoumaru anyway. Or anything else that would be usual of 'Kagome-behaviour' for that matter.

She felt that Sesshoumaru was watching her every move. She even felt she had to walk straighter and move as gracefully as she possibly could. At night, her pained muscles and joints which resulted from a constant perfectly straight posture, screamed at her to relax. But she wouldn't, she couldn't. She had no peace, no peace while she was under the scrutiny of the tai-youkai. She was almost beginning to feel sorry for Jaken as the toad youkai had to continuously grovel at the tai-youkai's feet whenever he said something out of place.

Her thoughts were sliding down to a depressing state so she stopped thinking all together and focused on the more important things in life.

_I miss my bed, and oden and a hot bath would be really nice right now. _

_Oh great, he's got that awful glare on him again. I bet he enjoys glaring like that._

He seemed to be testing her for some reason, even the questions that were addressed to her felt like an interrogation. It always made her skin crawl and she felt a sigh of relief when he wasn't watching or talking to her.

In the distance she could see some rice paddies and a village nearby. Just her luck, the tai-youkai probably wouldn't want to stop by. Her thoughts were interrupted by Kaede.

"Sesshoumaru-sama, may we stop by the village? We would want to ask the villagers if they have seen Inuyasha."

Kagome was surprised. "Couldn't you detect his scent or something?" She was sure that Sesshoumaru would lead them straight to where Inuyasha was.

"No. It is very difficult to catch his scent. I am not certain how he hides so well. It took me almost two summers before I was able to see him. However," he raised his head as if to smell the air but did not voice his thoughts. _There is a change in the air._

Kagome swore many times in frustration under her breath. Only Sesshoumaru detected it and raised an eyebrow. He would have to hurry up and find his hanyou brother. The girl's behaviour was starting to put a strain on his otherwise calm mind. _I think I will kill a whole army after this._

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It was the middle of the day by the time they had reached the village and everyone was staring in fascination at the strange company. A few youthful looking girls ran towards the tai-youkai giggling uncontrollably. Jaken had the sense to hide behind his lord.

"Hey don't we know you?" One of the girls said.

"His hair looks just like yours!" Another girl exclaimed in delight.

"No, no, no! His hair was tied up and he wore blue and white remember? He was so handsome!" the other girl replied ticking off his description, "it's too bad we didn't get to see his eyes." She sighed longingly.

They were now talking amongst themselves of handsome men and every once in a while, a fit giggles would erupt. Kagome felt like erupting herself, but not in giggles. The girls had briefly reminded Kagome of how her friends Yuki and Eri had sometimes acted. Even in Sengoku jidai, young giggly girls and bishounen-type men were always a dangerous mix.

Kagome cleared her throat and everyone looked towards her.

"We are looking for him. Do you know which way he went?"

The girls raced towards her with envious eyes.

"No! We saw him first!" They all said in unison.

Kagome sweat-dropped.

Sesshoumaru interrupted.

"You will tell me," he raised a glowing clawed hand, "or else." He said narrowing his eyes dangerously.

The girls visibly gulped upon finally recognising him as a youkai and they ran off to find the village headman. He was a kind elderly man who was going bald. It was an inviting change from the three girls. He invited them to his house to have tea. Everyone was sitting around a crackling fire, having cups of hot tea made by the headman's wife, all except for Sesshoumaru and Jaken.

"He was here only a couple of days ago, him and a boy. He was fighting a herd of rabid youkai, there were so many of them, but he succeeded. The villagers are just thankful that he came by. Or we would all have been slaughtered for sure. He promised that he would be back here…maybe today, if possible, just to make sure the area is clear."

Kagome couldn't believe her luck, he was coming here. Those weeks of trying to find him were finally paying off.

"You may stay here for the night if you wish. The rooms and baths will be prepared for you." The headman said, and he and his wife left to retire for afternoon. Kagome and Kaede bowed low in appreciation.

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Kagome decided it was a good idea to stretch her legs and have a good look around the village. There wasn't particularly anything special about it except for a few stores that were selling goods. Sometimes it seemed that she went five hundred years into the past just to go shopping. But she couldn't help it; she needed extra supplies any way. She headed towards the store, and felt something strange about the middle-aged woman who sat on the ground selling food. Her aura seemed different and her dark eyes held a sinister malice. Not the typical type of human, Kagome thought as she walked cautiously up to the woman, making sure her presence was casual.

"Does anything interest you?" She asked.

Kagome just shook her head and headed off. She was getting a bad feeling about this. And now she knew why, that woman was concealing one of the shards of the Shikon no Tama. It was concealed very well too; because Kagome had to get very close to detect it.

Maybe that was the reason why Inuyasha was coming.

* * *

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Kagome woke up to thundering sounds on the roof. She listened again, hoping it wasn't raining heavily. It was loud and heavy then it quickly disappeared again, followed by more thumping. Kaede was also rousing from her sleep. With her eyes still blinking from sleep, Kaede asked Kagome what the noise was. It sounded to her like someone running on the roof.

"It sounds like someone is running on the roof." And Kagome raced out, she wished she had her bow and arrows with her now.

When Kagome and Kaede had reached the scene of the commotion, they found that Sesshoumaru was watching someone darting backwards and forwards at lighting speed.

"Aren't you going to help them?" Kagome asked.

"Be silent, he needs to concentrate." Sesshoumaru replied.

It was then Kagome realised who 'he' was.

Two figures landed swiftly on the ground. One was the woman that Kagome had met earlier. The other, was shrouded in the shadows. The woman began to laugh without mirth.

"I've heard a lot about you hanyou. You're the one collecting the shards of the Shikon no Tama right? How convenient for me that you have the nearly completed jewel with you, I can sense its great power."

The other person said nothing.

"So you can't talk, eh? Well, what do you expect from a hanyou anyway?" She was trying to make the hanyou angry. It wasn't working.

"Give me your piece of the jewel and I will not harm you." His tone was cold and calculating.

"You dare challenge _me_ you deformed creature," she hissed as her body was beginning to transform into a hideous reptilian youkai, "I'll kill you for the jewel. It belongs to me!" She cried and with incredible speed lashed out at the hanyou aiming to slice the head off. With her powerful arm, she swiped at the figure causing great trenches along the ground. The hanyou swiftly dodged the attack, flipped a few times before landing and turned to face the youkai again.

As the dust and debris settled, he readied his katana for his own assault.

He ran towards the lizard taking careful aim. The reptile was ready for him, this time she used her tail as her weapon, but this time it had struck the hanyou. She swished her tail violently causing destruction of a nearby hut that housed chickens and other livestock. The lizard grinned menacingly thinking that she had easily gotten rid of the hanyou.

However, the hanyou had dug his claws into her scaly flesh to stop himself from slipping. The reptile raised its tail to flick him away.

Suddenly, the hanyou threw a pouch and it exploded into the youkai's eyes. The youkai screamed with rage that could be felt through the whole village and perhaps much further. The red powder was sticking to the reptile's eyes and the hanyou saw his chance to attack. The hanyou suddenly jumped up, away from the youkai. Quickly unsheathing the katana, he swooped down and sliced off the youkai's head. It fell clean off, onto the ground with a tremendous thump, and the creature was dead.

Kagome saw that now he was walking up to the dead youkai. She saw the glow coming from the jewel fragment. He stabbed the shoulder where the shard was and gently picked it up with his fingers. The remains of the youkai quickly disintegrated into dust. He then wiped his katana clean with a piece of cloth and placed it into the sheath.

Kagome thought that the hanyou was too preoccupied to notice that he had an audience. She felt unable to find her voice, because she really couldn't believe that it _was_ actually Inuyasha.

Sesshoumaru saw her hesitation, however he remained silent.

Kagome saw that he was preparing to leave. Her heart began to beat faster, she wouldn't let him leave, her voice was shaky and barely a whisper.

"I-Inuyasha?" She was scared that he couldn't hear her.

But he did.

And he stopped.

* * *

Author's notes... 

katana - japanese sword

bishounen - dangerously attractive men (but not as dangerous as the girls that follow them)

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Until next time... 


	13. Chapter 13

Inuyasha (manga and anime) belong to Takahashi-san

* * *

The Journey Home – Chapter Thirteen 

Inuyasha thought he was hearing things again.

It was a soft, almost frightened voice.

A woman's voice, she spoke softly, almost as if she was nervous.

A woman impersonating Kagome, she sounded so much like her, it was almost sickening.

Many youkai had tried that foul trick numerous times before to get the Shikon no Tama, and he had them all killed. They would always look like her in appearance. Same face, same smile and same laugh. However in his heart he knew that there was always something wrong with her, something that would reveal the youkai's identity.

This one would meet the same fate if she was not careful. He put his hand near the handle of the katana.

He would not attack, not yet.

It was a long time since he had last seen Kagome; it was almost difficult for him to recognise her scent, it was too long ago.

Would she come back? If she ever could come back here, he thought. Sometimes he would feel that she did not want to return, it was safer in her time anyway. _But she would at least try, where I could not. _Even that, he was not sure of.

He gently sniffed the air. He could smell a faint fragrance in the breeze. How could he smell such a soft perfume when everything else smelt like blood, he did not know why. Did she smell like that? He could not remember. He frowned. It could not be her, could it?

Sesshoumaru saw the slight reaction from the hanyou. He did not know if this was a good sign or not. He waited patiently.

No one had said anything yet for a long time. Kagome was beginning to get nervous, wasn't Inuyasha going to say anything? What would he say? What would he do when he saw her?

She gasped suddenly, as the hanyou turned around to face her.

Inuyasha's eyes widened, there was Kagome, standing there right in front of him. She was not wearing a fine kimono or clothes usually worn by a miko. It was not her school uniform either, but it was strange and only Kagome would wear such bizarre clothing. He dared to believe the impossible, but was still hesitant.

He relaxed his stance slightly to take a better look at the girl from the future. Kagome saw that he had hint of confusion on his face. Just a few seconds before, the miko noticed that he had a chilling stare, a stare that would haunt her for a very long time.

She wasn't sure how to react as the hanyou continued to look at her but did not saying anything. The hanyou had a guarded look on his face and Kagome did see that he had a hand close to his weapon. Kagome knew she had to do something to break the tension, so her eyes looked at him while she gave a shy, if nervous smile.

He looked down to the ground.

"You are not really her, are you? Am I…dreaming again?" He spoke softly and slowly as if he was in a trance.

Kagome's eyes started to fill with tears, she couldn't wait any longer. She had to make him know it wasn't a dream, like _she_ had felt a few moments ago. She ran up to him and flung herself onto the unsuspecting hanyou. Inuyasha almost stumbled a few times while trying to steady the young woman and to prevent himself from falling. Inuyasha could hear her mumbling 'baka' and crying at the same time against his kimono.

It was then he noticed that he had an audience when he had recognised the other scents. He looked up and saw a human and a youkai. Someone who looked like Kaede was smiling at him, while he could tell that Sesshoumaru was smirking to himself. He looked down at young woman who was still crying quietly. With the girl closer to him, he could smell the faint perfume that brought back memories. Memories that he wanted to remember. He felt something warm and familiar. He found his own arms beginning to wrap around her and trying to pull her closer towards him.

She held him tighter.

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Sunlight was beginning to fill the village and the people were starting their daily routines of tending the rice paddies and other farming work. In the village elder's house, Kagome was still fast asleep. It was the first time in many years that she actually had a decent sleep without waking up numerous times during the night. As she was beginning to rouse from her slumber, she felt the warmth of the sunlight gently caressing her skin. Her eyes opened lazily and took in her surroundings. There was something odd that she felt, like someone was there watching her. She turned her head slightly to look at the person. She sighed in relief as she saw it was only Inuyasha, in his usual sitting position, only he was asleep. But she knew that he was still alert to his surroundings, his ears would constantly move to even the slightest of sounds. Kagome decided it was time to get up and start to get ready for the day.

Inuyasha didn't move.

She quietly went to her backpack that was lying in the corner, and took her hair brush and a change of clothes. She went behind the dressing screen and started to undress, although she found it difficult to do so, her hands kept trembling and she felt her heart beat faster. Kagome felt silly for feeling so nervous, this was _Inuyasha_, and she was behind a screen, but somehow her heart didn't want to listen. She had finished dressing and went to get some breakfast for herself and the hanyou. She didn't notice that he was silently watching her the whole time.

Kagome came back to find that Inuyasha was readjusting the ties of his hakama. It was the first time she had a good look at his different appearance. He didn't wear red anymore. Instead he was dressed in a white kimono and hakama. He finished off by slipping on a dark blue haori. The light cast an eerie glow on his features and the miko couldn't help but stare. She couldn't quite explain what she was feeling right now.

Kagome, holding two trays of food set them on the floor. She sat down on the floor and invited him to join her which he politely accepted. Kagome noticed that he sat quite formally compared to how he usually sat and he was eating very quietly too. Kagome was just content to actually have a meal with him again.

"Is something wrong?" He asked.

"Mmm? No, nothing's wrong." She smiled. "I'm just glad you're here Inuyasha." And with that she continued to eat her meal.

Inuyasha however paused with his meal, to observe the young woman who eating across from him. He noticed her soft grey eyes as she spoke to him, the way her dark hair would curl against her shoulder and back, and the way her soft pink lips would move when she was talking to him.

He looked down at his food instead, why did she have to be…so…so…distracting?

Their meals were finished and Inuyasha took both trays and set them outside neatly of the sliding doors. Both heard footsteps coming towards them, slow and commanding. It was the tai-youkai himself and Kagome was amazed that he would actually go inside a human dwelling. Nothing was said between the two brothers, and Kagome notice how similar the brothers could appear so alike. Inuyasha bowed his head, and then followed his older brother outside. Kagome was puzzled by Sesshoumaru's behaviour and Inuyasha for that matter. They were both actually being civilised, perhaps they were going to start fighting when they went outside. Kagome saw Kaede entering the room and sat down next to her.

"So…how did it go?" Kaede asked. Kagome looked away from her.

"I'm not sure. He hasn't said my name yet. He just didn't seem to recognise me."

Kaede place an aged hand onto hers. Her words were comforting and kind. "Don't worry Kagome. He hasn't seen you for a long time. Perhaps he isn't sure of what to do. Just give him time."

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Author's notes... 

Hakama - japanese pants

Haori - jacket that can be worn over kimono

Katana - japanese sword

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Like to leave a review? Any comments would be appreciated. 

Until next time...


	14. Chapter 14

Inuyasha (manga and anime) belong to Takahashi-san

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The Journey Home – Chapter Fourteen 

"Well?"

"Well what?"

"What are you feeling Inuyasha?" Sesshoumaru asked. Currently they were talking privately under a sakura blossom tree, away from human eyes.

Inuyasha lowered his eyes but they remained in the direction to where the girl was.

"Is it really her? That girl…?" He found he could not finish his sentence.

Sesshoumaru could see a flicker of hope in the hanyou's eyes. In a flash it was gone, replaced by his expressionless face.

"Yes, I will not resort to trickery against you. I know the consequences." He said this as he felt the stump of his left arm.

Inuyasha smiled slightly, noticing his older brother's movements. "Well then, I just have to take your word for it."

"Is that how you threaten people now, Inuyasha?" Sesshoumaru said, almost smiling. Yet he restrained himself. Instead he laid a hand on his brother's shoulder, and looked at him with a severe expression, "Do you think that _I _would lie to you?"

Inuyasha however, had no reaction from the tai-youkai's comment and his face continued to have the same blank appearance. He brushed away the hand that held his shoulder and sighed.

"You are not untruthful, Sesshoumaru-san, that much I know. You have great honour." He gave another hint of a smile, "That is why I find it so difficult to find a suitable_ companion_ for you."

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed suspiciously, "Just what do you mean?"

"You do not need me to tell you, Sesshoumaru-san." He said as he lifted up his head to feel the rays of the sun.

The tai-youkai looked upwards as well.

A warm breeze gently lifted a few leaves and it was made to slowly drift along, almost lazily, freely. It was another reminder of that woman…

_Kagura…_

Sesshoumaru thought back to the first meeting with the wind youkai. She had asked him to destroy Naraku for her.

He of course refused, it was not his business.

And she of course left in a fury.

However she would always return for some reason and he would have no part of it. Weak youkai did not have the honour of his presence, no matter how pitiful they looked. And he did not pity others, unlike his brother.

After Naraku's disappearance, Sesshoumaru went to his hanyou brother in a private meeting to talk about their general plans, plans that did not concern Naraku. None of their group members knew about these meetings. If they did, someone would have to explain, and Inuyasha was never good at explanations. Their reputations would be ruined and Sesshoumaru would never let this happen.

In this particular meeting, he briefly mentioned Kagura asking him for help. He saw that Inuyasha had a strange gleam in his eyes and the tai-youkai did not like it at all. He prayed to the fates that his brother would not say it.

"I did see this Kagura. She looked quite elegant. Should I…arrange something?"

The fates must hate him.

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed. "Why?" He said slowly daring his younger brother to speak.

"Well, why not?" Inuyasha replied, equally slowly. "You said yourself you wanted someone who was equal to you. Can't you see it?"

Sesshoumaru felt the urge to punch his brother, but Inuyasha did not seem to notice as he continued to speak animatedly.

"You both dress elegantly and you both kill with grace, a perfect match."

And Sesshoumaru did something that he never did before: he rolled his eyes.

The look on his hanyou brother's face told him that he would not take no for an answer.

He had told Inuyasha that he would consider it, just to please him. Inuyasha laughed and told him when the whole Naraku business was over, he would formally arrange the meeting.

Sesshoumaru told him that he would rather die.

As the months passed Sesshoumaru did get to know her better from afar, and he had to agree, she was very elegant.

However everything changed that day when he smelt the air, Kagura was dying. Behind Sesshoumaru's cold facade he felt something constrict in his chest. Humans and youkai all died eventually, this he knew, but upon seeing Kagura dying in a field full of wild flowers was a haunting image for him. She had told him that she was glad to see him one last time and gave him a beautiful smile.

He realised then that she loved him.

Inuyasha saw the slight glazed look in his eyes and knew who he was thinking about. He almost regretted giving him that painful reminder. _They would have been good together. _

A small feather gracefully floated towards the tai-youkai. Sesshoumaru raised a hand to catch it.

"She was a very beautiful woman, was she not?" The hanyou questioned quietly.

Sesshoumaru glared at him for bringing up the youkai woman, but kept silent, the feather felt warm and light. He let it fly again with the gentle winds.

The hanyou decided to change the subject when they did not speak for a long time. "I see you came here for a reason."

Sesshoumaru inclined his head and reached inside of his kimono. He pulled out a black envelope and handed it to his brother. Inuyasha's eyes narrowed in interest.

"I suggest that you be careful, otouto. You have heard the rumors, have you not, about humans wanting that jewel, especially houshi and miko? Not to mention the youkai who are looking for territories. They were saying that the youkai were found near the place where you reside."

Inuyasha placed the envelope in his kimono. "Interesting…I would just have to make sure that they never find me then." He hoped that Kohaku would be alright for now.

"I have another favor to ask." The tai-youkai asked.

"Another one?" The hanyou replied knowing exactly what the favor was. At least Jaken would be happy.

Sesshoumaru was about to walk away, when he turned to face his brother, "One more thing," he smiled, a silent threat. "Try not to kill anyone in front of the women. Women have a weak heart for that sort of thing."

"You do not need to tell me that Sesshoumaru-san." _He does not need to worry._

Inuyasha suddenly felt small and his voice almost trembled with a feeling he could not describe.

"Th-thankyou, for finding her…you do not know how much it means to me."

Sesshoumaru turned away from his brother.

_I do know._

He went silently, gracefully disappearing in a flash of light.

* * *

Author's notes... 

otouto...younger brother

* * *

Like to leave a review? Any comments are appreciated. 

Until next time...


	15. Chapter 15

Inuyasha (manga and anime) are owned by Takahashi-san

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The Journey Home – Chapter Fifteen 

Inuyasha returned to the house to find that Kagome was waiting for him.

"Was everything alright Inuyasha?" He heard her say. Inuyasha nodded, although he did not say anything.

Kagome raised her hand and placed it on Inuyasha's forehead which surprised him. "Are you sure you're alright? I've never seen you so pale…"

The hanyou gently grasped the miko's wrist, "I will be alright." He answered softly, still holding onto her wrist, _she feels so warm._

Kagome was beginning to blush when Inuyasha would not let go, _his hand feels cold._

They both heard a surprised gasp which made them abruptly let go. They looked at the trespasser.

Rin came running towards the hanyou and launched herself onto him.

"Inu-no oji-chan! Is Rin coming with you?" She asked excitedly.

Inuyasha lifted the girl up and spun her around a few times. He put her down and she giggled with dizziness. He then heard quiet laughing and looked at the other girl, Kagome. Her laughter was light and cheery. It gave him the most peculiar feeling.

Kagome noticed that the hanyou was looking at her and she met his gaze. Their eyes met, lingered for a few moments caught in a surreal dream.

Inuyasha blinked and looked away. "We must leave soon." And he went back inside the house.

Kagome's eyes remained on the empty space left by the hanyou, _his eyes...they were so empty._

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It was the middle of the day, before the group decided to stop for lunch. Kagome was collecting water for her water bottles from a nearby stream and Inuyasha had started a small fire to cook their meal which consisted of fish and edible mushrooms.

Rin happily munching on her fish, paused, and looked at the hanyou. Kagome was curious about Rin's behaviour ever since she had joined with them. She had become shy, so unlike her usual behaviour when she was with Sesshoumaru.

"Inu-no oji-chan?" Rin began somewhat timidly, "Will…Kohaku be coming with us?"

Kagome's eyes widened. Was it possible that Rin had a crush on Kohaku? She found it very cute. She would have squealed in delight but she wasn't a teenager anymore. But it was still cute.

"Yes Rin-chan." Inuyasha answered.

Rin couldn't stop smiling and resumed eating her meal with renewed vigour.

"Inuyasha, where exactly are we going?" Kaede wanted to know, it didn't look like they were heading to her village.

"It would be about a few days journey, to the north, Kaede-san."

Kaede was surprised, never in her life had Inuyasha called her Kaede-san, it made her feel somewhat…unsettled. Inuyasha was a complicated person to understand, more so than ever before.

She saw that he was preparing to leave.

She also noticed that he hadn't touched his food at all.

The group was on the move again with Rin and Kaede at the front in quiet conversation, while the young miko and hanyou followed behind. Kagome decided to strike up a conversation with him to pass the time. She glanced at him very discretely as not to disturb his stride. His eyes were focussed to the distance in front of him, his expression was hard to decipher. His face wasn't set in his characteristic frown, it was vacant. She noticed other things as well, but the one thing that stood out the most was the fact that Inuyasha was carrying a quiver of arrows complete with a bow.

They walked along in silence and Kagome wanted to desperately start a conversation with him, he was so, quiet. It was beginning to get on her nerves. She had to talk, even if he didn't want to listen. She looked at the bow and arrows again, then at his face.

"So…um Inuyasha," she said suddenly feeling very nervous. "Where did you get your bow and arrows?" It was a start.

For a few minutes he didn't answer and Kagome thought that he didn't hear her.

"I made them," he began, then added, "it was good quality wood too." He handed her his bow and arrows, and she had to agree with him, it felt very strong yet flexible. She stared in awe at the fine detailed design he had added to the bow.

"Y-you can keep it if you like." Inuyasha said shyly but not looking at her.

"Oh no! I couldn't. It's too beautiful." Kagome tried to give it back to him, when Inuyasha held her hands. Kagome blinked in confusion.

"No, I would like you to have it," he blushed but did not smile, then he added, "Kagome."

Kagome could only stare at Inuyasha's back as he walked away. _He said my name._ She looked at her gift that she was now holding, feeling the textures of the wood. It really was a nice bow. She looked up and saw that Inuyasha had stopped to wait for her.

Kagome ran to catch up with him.

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Of course such tranquillity never did last very long, for at that moment a large dark shadow swooped above them. Kagome looked up and saw what appeared to be an oversized crow. It had found its target and began to dive down for the attack with its toothed beak wide opened.

Kagome was in a panic, and things were going so well too…

Things like this always happened to her. She wondered if she still remembered how to use the bow and arrow.

"Do not worry. Just keep walking forward." He whispered into her ear and he raced off into another direction, closely followed by the youkai.

Kagome thought it was better to wait for him than to keep walking, hoping he didn't take to long. She guessed why he had run off like that; Rin was with them, and that kind of violence probably wouldn't have been good for the young girl's eyes. Probably her eyes as well, her stomach always seemed to turn every time Inuyasha had fought. Even though she had seen him fight many times before, even killed, but sometimes it was too much for her. She was more worried that the hanyou would lose too much blood, or worse die, without him being able to protect himself.

She fiddled with her fingers nervously.

She didn't have to wait for too long, because she could see Inuyasha walking towards her, with that same haunting expression on his face.

Inuyasha was surprised that Kagome had decided to stay and apparently was waiting for him.

"What are you doing here?" He asked curiously.

"Well, I wasn't going to leave you by yourself…and…uh…um you know." Kagome blushed as she said this while Inuyasha's eyebrows lifted in surprise. Kagome felt her face getting hot, just now she felt so embarrassed. She hadn't meant to say those words out loud. With jerky movements she began to move forward and started running.

Inuyasha felt a bit stunned and unsure of what to do. _She did not want to leave me?_ What exactly did she mean by that?

He frowned.

Kagome said those words to him and yet she was doing the exact opposite.

It made him slightly irritated…

Confused…

But irritated…

_How dare she run away from me!_

That irritation was growing, it felt strange to him but he ignored it. As if that girl could outrun him! He frowned again and he sprinted forward, easily catching up with miko. Kagome was so surprised that Inuyasha could run so fast so quickly, that she fell onto her rear with a thud. She rubbed her bottom and tried to shakily stand up. A hand quickly lifted her up to her feet.

"T-thankyou," She stuttered, still light-headed from the rapid movement.

Kagome found that she was being pulled forward. She glanced down and found that her hand was being held by a much larger one. Her eyes widened at the contact. She tried to say something, anything. Finding her tongue wouldn't form the proper words; she kept silent and instead enjoyed the feeling. _I remember this feeling, what do you call it?_

They kept walking like this, hand in hand.

He did not smile.

He did not frown.

However, no one noticed the shade of red that was painted on his cheeks.

* * *

Author's notes... 

Inu-no oji-chan - Rin calls Inuyasha 'Dog Uncle'. I think that's the right word.

* * *

Like to send a review? Any comments are appreciated...

* * *

Until next time... 


	16. Chapter 16

Inuyasha (manga and anime) belong to Takahashi-san

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The Journey Home – Chapter Sixteen 

"What do you have to report?" It was a man's voice and he did not sound very pleased with the way things were progressing. Why did things have to go so slowly?

The two men looked at each other before responding. "Well, we have heard of a houshi and that he holds the Shikon no Tama." The other man nodded in agreement.

The man smiled, "Well this _is _good news…anything else?"

"Yes, he's travelling with a group of women."

The leader heard his pack members snicker with amusement.

"How typical houshi are these days." He said lazily. He noticed that one member looked rather tense. He glared at him to begin speaking. The younger member stood up and all eyes and ears leaned forward to listen. He cleared his throat a bit to ease his nervousness.

"Um…this houshi, I've heard rumours that he'll kill anyone that tries to attack him. He's had whole armies trying to get this Shikon no Tama and none of them had returned. They say he has the power of a tai-youkai."

Nervous mummers could be heard throughout the cave. Their leader silenced them by raising his hand.

"These are just rumours as you said. I doubt that this houshi who's so willing to hide behind women would be much of a threat."

There was apprehension in the air. Rumours always had a tendency to be true, whether they wanted to believe it or not. However their leader continued to speak in an authoritative, yet slightly arrogant manner.

"We were searching for this jewel since we've heard of its existence. It had disappeared for a long time but it has made its presence known. With our power and numbers, I am sure we can overcome this human and his worthless women."

The whole cave cheered, it had been a while since they had hunted something worthwhile.

The young teenager groaned. He had a bad feeling about this, very bad.

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"We went to the Tanabata festival. It was so crowded, everyone was there, and the food! It was such a beautiful night." Kagome laughed. "And do you remember Hitomi-chan, Inuyasha?" Kagome looked at the hanyou who sat in the darkness away from the light. She saw him open his eyes to look back at her. His amber gaze seemed to glow where his silhouette was shrouded in darkness, "Souta's friend?" He asked quietly and the miko nodded.

"She looked so cute in her kimono. Souta couldn't stop blushing or stuttering." She couldn't help demonstrating how her brother had talked on that day which made Rin and Kagome go into a fit of giggles. After a while they had calmed down, but the tears from laughter were the only evidence of what had just occurred.

Kagome patted a space beside her to indicate that she wanted Inuyasha to sit beside her which he obliged politely.

"Souta misses you so much, you know." Kagome told him quietly.

"He does?"

Kagome nodded, "You have been his hero for, I don't know how long." She saw that he had a hint of a smile on his otherwise blank face. It was a timid smile and it made her heart warm.

"You know, I still cannot believe he fell in love so young." The hanyou said but kept his eyes to the ground.

"Yeah I know. He was in grade three for goodness sakes! It was so embarrassing watching them hug like that."

Inuyasha looked directly at the miko. "Well, you were the one who wanted to watch them, and you were the one who dragged me along."

Kagome huffed. "Well, weren't you glad they got together, or would you tell me otherwise?"

Inuyasha could see a glint in her eyes that dared him to say it. He narrowed his own eyes and was about to say something when…

"Now, now children, we had better eat before the meat will get burnt." Kaede said.

The pair blinked a few times in confusion, with the argument forgotten, they settled down for dinner.

Two small rabbits were being served to the members of the group in which they ate their meal gratefully.

Kaede peered at the hanyou as he ate in silence.

"You have a question on your mind Kaede-san." He asked not looking up from his meal.

"Well…I was wondering about what you have done these past years." She said. The old miko did not want to ask him and she was afraid that he may not answer her.

He stopped eating and Kaede could see the slight pained look in his eyes. The hanyou focussed his attention towards to whatever it was in the distance. His tone was soft, almost detached from his surroundings.

"It was long ago," he began, "when I could not go back to your village. I began wondering the lands. I felt that I could not do anything. So I went back to the things I did know, like hunting and trying to survive everyday.

"It was around winter when I met Kikyou-san, I remember she was trying to tell me something but I could not hear her. There was somebody else in the area telling me that I should help her. Suddenly everything lit up in a pure white light that I thought I had become blind. A few moments later everything went back to normal. Except that I felt so strange, like I _had _to get the Shikon no Tama."

He lifted the jewel from around his neck and showed it to the people sitting around the camp fire. The small pink sphere was glowing softly, sparkling every once in a while. After a while he placed it back hidden behind his kimono and continued his story.

It was only then that Kagome noticed that his rosary was missing.

"Of course Naraku had nearly the whole jewel, so I had to _take it _from him." The way he said it made the others except Rin gasped.

"You killed him, _the_ Naraku!" Kagome asked and then added. "That's incredible."

Inuyasha was a bit startled by Kagome's exclamation and he found himself stumbling over a few words. "Well…uh…um, it was him that shattered the jewel and that is why I have to go around and collect them again. However I am unsure of what will happen _after _I collect the whole jewel."

"Didn't my sister want you to wish on the jewel before? Perhaps you have to wish on it." Kaede suggested.

The atmosphere around them turned sinister as if the area had suddenly filled with jyaki. Kagome felt a wave of nausea hitting her as the winds blew furiously around the hanyou. She felt her own purifying energies leaving her to intertwine with the black energy. Neither power was fighting each other instead it joined together in some sort of strange harmony. The winds swirled around them and the women struggled to keep their eyes opened.

When the winds had died down slightly they saw that Inuyasha's eyes glowed dangerously and he spoke in a cold almost mocking voice. He held the jewel up towards their faces and he smiled maliciously.

"And what would you wish for, miko. Power, wealth, beauty, it can be granted." His eyes gleamed towards Kagome. "Or…do you want someone that you cannot have. Perhaps you want someone who is perfect and you would do anything," he traced a clawed finger along Kagome's jaw line and she felt herself gulping from his strange touch, "for him to become perfect, just for you." He drew back and looked at the jewel once more. "However your desire will manipulate the jewel, you wish for change and it will. And you will know its consequences. The Shikon no Tama is pure and corrupted. No one can purify the jewel." Suddenly his pupils turned black, Inuyasha collapsed onto the ground, the spell that was cast over him broken.

Kagome immediately rushed to his side in a panic. _What was that?_ She gently lifted up his head, placed him on her lap and started to stroke his ears and soft white hair. Kagome sighed in relief as she saw his face relax after a while from her ministrations and soon he was purring blissfully.

"What happened to him Kagome-sama?" Rin asked worriedly, she had never seen him act like that before, she was a bit frightened.

"I'm not sure Rin-chan, but he must be tired after that. We should turn in for the night."

The others nodded in agreement and settled in to sleep. However, Kagome stayed up a bit longer to watch over her friends, and Inuyasha.

* * *

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A group of men were gathered around the camp fire. They were planning to attack the mysterious houshi.

It was not going so well.

"Have you found him yet?" The leader shouted angrily, he was getting impatient.

"N-no, he's very difficult to track. Maybe he's using some kind of ofuda to hide his scent."

The leader did not like that answer.

"Can you be serious! There is no such thing. All things have a scent. I've never heard of an ofuda that can conceal a scent. Only barriers can conceal or protect the person and even then it can't last forever."

Another member spoke up.

"Maybe he is the devil himself or the kami-sama?" Frightened whispers went through the whole camp. "If he was such a person, it would explain how the armies that went in search for the jewel ended up being slaughtered. And it wasn't done by an opposing army but one single human. If we go and search for this houshi our whole race will become extinct! Or worse, he'll curse us so we would never breed again."

"Will you all shut up! Your complaining only shows your cowardice. He is only human. He can't fight all of us. You will see that we will get the jewel. I know this young miko who can help us. She is very powerful and can see the fragments of the Shikon no Tama. She is as wise as she is beautiful. I will personally track her down and ask for her assistance. She and I have quite the relationship so she would never refuse me, she is my mate."

The other members of the pack weren't quite sure of what to make of their leader's speech, especially that girl who was supposedly in love with him. However, they were too scared to roll their eyes at him while he was standing there right in front of them.

The poor girl, they hoped he would never find her.

Their leader stood proud looking into the distance, yes he thought; of course she will be waiting for him. That stupid hanyou had abandoned her for that dead pottery corpse.

He laughed at the hanyou's idiocy.

Then his eyes softened. His mate would be running to him and crying when she had found out, and he will comfort her.

He grinned showing his fangs.

And then she would confess her love to him and then together they would destroy the houshi and the Shikon no Tama would be his again.

"Wait for me Kagome. I'm coming to see you again."

* * *

Author's notes... 

Tanabata festival - "Star Festival"

Ofuda - Piece of paper with a spell or charm cast to it

* * *

Like to send a review? Any comments are appreciated. If anyone is interested, I have some art for this story. 

Until next time...


	17. Chapter 17

Inuyasha (manga and anime) belong to Takahashi-san

* * *

The Journey Home – Chapter Seventeen 

"Kagome, you did not have to stay up the _whole_ night watching the others. You could have woken me up you know."

"Mmm…"

Inuyasha felt like sighing in defeat when the girl did not answer him properly.

Apparently Kagome had decided to stay awake the whole night watching over the others. He did not know why she had done that in the first place and he could not help but feel a tiny bit annoyed at the girl. He was the one who was supposed to keep watch as he could stay up the whole night if he wanted to. Sometimes he hardly slept at all for a few nights. But something made him fall asleep. Something warm, something affectionate. It felt like a hand was running through his hair and delicately caressing his ears.

He had to stay awake…

But it was so soothing…

He tried to stop the hand…

He had to stay awake…he fell asleep.

Sunlight had come into the area. Inuyasha's eyes snapped opened, to find he was looking into soft grey sleepy eyes. She had asked him if he slept well and if he was feeling alright, which confused him for a while but it soon turned into infuriation. The only thing that had concerned him was the fact that he fell asleep and not what had happened last night…

But the strange thing was that he could not even remember.

He had blinked angrily.

Something might have happened last night, a youkai, or bandits, anyone who wanted the Shikon no Tama.

They could have been killed.

He was supposed to stay alert.

He had turned away from her light touches, sat up and was about to berate the miko. But the fact that Kagome was still half asleep to even notice made his anger disappear instantly.

So instead, he was now carrying her on his back with her arms around his neck snoring softly on his shoulder.

This time he did sigh.

It was a curious feeling having someone on his back and he could smell her scent gently tickling his nose every once in a while. He breathed in lightly to catch her soft perfume. _Did she always smell like this?_

It had been a long time since he had been this close to another person. It was such a foreign sensation and yet…

And yet…he felt like it had always been this way.

_What is this feeling?_

They were now almost in the area that he and Kohaku were currently residing, it would take them until nightfall until they would reach the house. He had to be careful. He could smell youkai in the area.

Rin ran in front of the hanyou and clasped her hands in front of her, "Inu-no oji-chan? Should I pick some flowers for Kohaku?"

"If you want to Rin-chan, there is a field of flowers nearby where I live."

Inuyasha saw that Rin had a slight blush on her cheeks and continued skipping cheerfully down the road.

He felt rather proud of himself. Rin and Kohaku would make a very adorable couple, but he would rather die before telling one else that.

"What are you thinking Inuyasha?" Kaede said with a bit of mischief in her tone. "You're not the type, who would play matchmaker now, are you?"

Inuyasha's face was indifferent but Kaede thought she could see a small twinkle in his eyes.

"Kaede-san, I would never want to deal with such complicated matters that do not concern me."

Kaede studied the hanyou with unwavering eyes. She leaned forward from her horse.

Inuyasha's composure did not waver but he did raise an eyebrow under her scrutinising manner.

"Mmm…are you sure Inuyasha that you wouldn't meddle in other people's love life?"

The hanyou's eyes narrowed slightly at the fact the old miko could be so perceptive.

"Kaede-san, I do not _meddle _as you say. It is an art form." He answered, not directly looking at her.

"Ah." Kaede said as she nodded in understanding but didn't really understand. Was there anything else that she didn't know about the hanyou? "You have," she said rather uneasily, "done this before?"

"Well if you have lived as long as I have, you tend to develop…strange…hobbies." It appeared that even Inuyasha was unsure about what he just said so he did not say anymore.

Kaede thought for a while, he did have a point. _What an odd boy._ "So you would do this for anyone?" It would never have occurred to her that Inuyasha would be interested in such things. He always appeared so…well…dense. The only thing he seemed to know well was fighting.

Long ago, it had been obvious that Miroku and Sango had feelings for each other. It could practically be seen by anyone. Only Inuyasha was the one who did not notice or, she supposed, Naraku had held the highest priority back then.

"Only if I feel like it," he answered starting to feel uneasy with where this conversation was heading to.

And they walked in silence, however, the atmosphere around them seemed to be lighter when they had first travelled as a group and Kaede was thankful for that. Although Kaede still noticed that he spoke softly and his facial expression hardly changed.

_Just give him time._

They heard a young girl's scream. Kaede looked towards Inuyasha in fear and worry.

However Inuyasha reacted faster as he swiftly sprinted through the forest for the location of the sound.

_Rin!_

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Kagome could feel the cool wind whipping though her hair and face. Wait a minute, wasn't she supposed to be in bed wrapped up in her warm blankets, instead of sitting upright on someone's back. She involuntary squeezed her eyes shut and tightened her hold around the something hard. She gripped tighter as the winds flew wildly in her face as she felt herself jumping, terrified she would suddenly fall.

She could distinctly hear someone choking in anger.

"Ka-Kagome my neck!" A male voice managed to say.

Kagome was startled awake and saw that Inuyasha was sprinting through the forest at dizzying speeds.

That meant there was danger.

"What happened?" Kagome cried against the wind.

"Rin!" He felt foolish for being distracted. He raced faster, but as he got closer he could smell a familiar scent. He thanked kami that he could not smell blood, or Sesshoumaru would kill him, twice if he wanted to.

They reached the scene just in time. They saw Rin screaming with all her might. They looked up and saw that two figures were dangling from the ropes that were tied up to the trees. Inuyasha sighed in relief and let Kagome down off his back.

"Rin, it is alright now." Inuyasha said as he moved forward to the bawling teenage girl, his ears plastered against his head in a growing headache. Rin stopped her crying immediately when she had heard his voice and in the next instant she was smiling again. She ran into his arms and the hanyou almost stumbled from the extra weight. Kagome sweat-dropped, that girl was too bouncy.

Nevertheless, Kagome had to smile at the scene Rin was causing. She seemed to always be a cheerful girl.

It was by chance that Inuyasha had caught her smiling and he found himself captured by it. The miko noticed that his eyes were on her and she blushed while she attempted to catch his amber gaze.

Inuyasha lowered his eyes to the ground. But he dared to glance at her again, just a tiny one.

Kagome smiled shyly in return.

The two figures that were still dangling precariously above the ground were completely forgotten by the people who still stood below. It was a long way down and the branches didn't seem to be able to support them for an extended period of time. They tried desperately not to move, but it was hard with the blood rushing to their heads and the bottom half of their clothes that didn't want to stay in place. They briefly thought about which situation was more dangerous, to stay hanging from the trees, or face the samurai below.

They gulped.

The samurai was better then dying in embarrassment when clothes had a mind of their own. They called to them and the people below looked up into the trees.

Kagome recognised them almost immediately, although she seemed to look around her first before she spoke to them.

"Ginta, Hakkaku! What are you doing up there! For your sakes I hope Kouga-kun is not with you!" She shouted.

She sounded angry.

They were mistaken. It seemed Kagome was more of a threat to them than the samurai.

"Kagome-nee san, he's not here! Please get us down! We only wanted to ask the girl directions and we ended up here!" Ginta and Hakkaku were almost in tears. The branches that were holding them groaned in protest, it began to break.

"Inuyasha do something or they'll fall and break their necks." Kagome protested. Inuyasha gave her a confused look, but walked to the tree that was holding the two wolves. The branches groaned louder and cracking noises could be heard. They held their breaths, hoping their fall wouldn't be too painful. Inuyasha unsheathed his katana and swung at the ropes. It fell with a clean cut and dropped onto the ground.

He heard screaming from above.

Ginta and Hakkaku were falling. The two wolves shut their eyes and starting praying to all the gods they could remember.

Suddenly they stopped, they cautiously opened their eyes to find that they were floating down gently on some sort of invisible energy, however as they nearly reached the ground, they landed with a thump.

They peered up to see their saviour only to find a strange man staring down at them. They blinked a couple of times before they realised that it was Inuyasha himself but looking quite different from all the red he usually wore.

"What happened to your clothes?" They asked quite innocently.

Inuyasha glared down at them. Ginta and Hakkaku felt as if a few hundred years had left them. They wondered what had happened to the hanyou to make him act like a certain other tai-youkai they had no hurry in meeting again.

"Explaining my change in clothes, will not explain the reasons why you are here." His voice was cold and intimidating.

"We-we told you. We were asking for directions."

"I thought you would be able to use your sense of smell."

Ginta and Hakkaku began to panic.

"Would you believe that we don't know what he smells like?" They both asked nervously.

Inuyasha's eyes had a strange gleam, like he knew something they didn't.

They were just too scared to realise it.

"What do you mean," he asked holding a hand over his heart, "by _he_?" It was a simple question, and his eyes had turned cat-like, and they gulped loudly.

"I-it's just that Kouga told us to go searching f-for a houshi w-who has the Shikon no Tama. They said he was very dangerous."

"Oh, I see. Well I have not seen him. If that is what you are asking." Inuyasha replied softly with a vacant look. He walked away with Rin skipping behind him.

Kagome approached them, her hands on her hips.

"You won't tell _him_ that you found us would you?" She said slowly.

"Um…no nee-san. We'll try, but he can smell if we're lying to him."

"Oh ok, well, just distract him or something. It'll be bad if Inuyasha and Kouga-kun met, if you know what I mean." Kagome said as she ran towards Inuyasha.

The two wolves watched as she ran to catch up with the hanyou.

They had such a dilemma on their hands.

* * *

Until next time... 


	18. Chapter 18

Inuyasha (manga and anime) belong to Takahashi-san

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The Journey Home – Chapter Eighteen

It was in the evening when they had reached the spot that was where Inuyasha supposedly lived. Except that there was a large gap, one side at which they currently stood and the other side, that was in the far distance, with no bridge to connect both sides. Just the sight of the great distance between where they were and where they supposedly had to get to, made their stomachs turn frenziedly. The women stared down wondering how far it was if they did fall…

That was a bad idea.

Kaede visibly paled, it was then she realised how old she really was.

"You do have a bridge to cross to the other side do you Inuyasha." She asked wearily.

"Perhaps, if you look properly," came his reply. The others looked at him to see if he was joking. All they saw was his blank face which made it ever so harder to tell.

What they fortunately or unfortunately did not see was that he was furious, so furious for having let someone so close to his territory. It was a good thing that those wolves decided not to follow him. If they had, they would not be returning to tell their leader.

He felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Don't worry they won't tell him. Besides they don't know who they're looking for right?"

He felt oddly comforted by Kagome's words, and yet he still felt uneasy. If someone did know that _he_ had the Shikon no Tama…no it was best that he not think about it. Things like that were always messy to clean up.

Kagome saw the slight frown on his face, and knew that he was worried. But she figured that Ginta and Hakkaku were looking for a houshi who possessed the Shikon no Tama. That probably meant they would be searching for a human.

Except when Kagome and Kaede had seen that the hanyou was holding most of the jewel, the two wolves must have gotten the description muddled up, or she hoped they had. And if they _did_ tell Kouga…well, it would be better not to describe it.

Other things came into her mind on that point. She found it strange that she was able to detect other fragments of the jewel, and yet, she was unable to sense anything from the hanyou. It was as if he had no aura at all. What had happen to Inuyasha in the past was still a mystery to her. He had explained that he had seen a bright light and heard woman's voice. What did it mean exactly?

She saw Inuyasha walking towards the cliff and didn't look like he was going to stop. She gasped in surprise, he wasn't about to walk off the cliff was he? He must have been in another trance, or wanted an early death, which she didn't want to consider. Those thoughts didn't sit well with her and she raced up to grab the hanyou. Only she felt nothing to grab onto. She looked about waving her arms madly at the empty space expecting them to find him. The others were surprised as well. Rin raced up to look over the edge, but all she could see down below was a forest of trees and a river flowing between them.

Rin held back the tears that were threatening to pour out and called out, "Inu-no oji-chan!"

The voice echoed and Kagome and Kaede felt something strange happening with the scenery around them. The trees and the cliff became distorted in shape and for a few seconds they could see barrier and what looked like a field inside. It crackled with energy for a while, and then the scenery with the cliff was visible again.

Just then Inuyasha reappeared right in front of them, and everyone jumped in surprise.

"How did you do that?" Kagome exclaimed.

Inuyasha put a hand over his heart and Kagome saw the glow of the Shikon no Tama.

He beckoned with a finger and he vanished again.

"Well you had better go in first child. I don't feel up to the challenge." Kaede said with a big smile on her face.

"We're right behind Kagome-sama!" Rin added cheerfully.

Kagome couldn't help but roll her eyes; they didn't have to be so paranoid. Inuyasha would never hurt them on purpose. However she took a deep breath and gulped. She marched straight ahead of her, with her eyes shut. She felt a great heaviness as she passed through the barrier; it felt like the barrier was pushing her away, but she wouldn't let anything like that stop her. She was so determined to get through, that she didn't realise that she had bumped into someone. Kagome almost fell in shock but two strong arms had steadied her. She glanced up to look into the amber gaze that he had unconsciously captured her in.

It didn't last long.

"Kagome, do not close your eyes when you walk into a barrier. You could have ended up somewhere else."

"S-sorry," she laughed nervously, "It's just been a long time since I walked through a barrier."

Inuyasha gave her a funny look that made Kagome slightly nervous, but soon it was gone again.

He looked around to see if Rin and Kaede had passed through the barrier. He sighed, but he was happy, because it proved no one would dare come though here.

"Wait here." He sprinted off and disappeared into the barrier. A few minutes later, he came out, dragging the girl and the old miko who were looking quite pale.

"What happened to them?" Kagome asked.

"Oh, I do not know."

Kagome suddenly laughed which surprised the hanyou, "Inuyasha, it's not nice to drag people around."

The miko became aware of the hanyou's gaze and offered him a smile. Inuyasha however turned away from her, suddenly feeling ashamed for staring at her. He did not mean to, it was just…she was…

Kagome immediately felt guilty for laughing at him since she thought she was just attempting to make a joke out of it.

Every chance she had, she had observed the hanyou and his behaviour. It was then she realised that he may have become a person who was always serious and never liked to joke around.

And the guilt grew tenfold.

She ran up to him, grabbing his hand she was about to apologise when he gently brought up her hand and held it with his own. He wasn't directly looking at her but she did notice that he had a hint of a blush on his face. "Inuyasha…," she began.

"Kagome…I…," he was about to say more when they both could hear groaning noises coming from Rin and Kaede.

"Where are we?" Rin said, making a full recovery from her ordeal.

Kaede appeared to have experienced death firsthand.

Inuyasha blinked and realised he had completely forgotten with what he was going to say. Seeing his confusion, Kagome sighed from being interrupted, however she offered him a smile and told the hanyou not to worry about it for now.

He saw her smile again and came to the conclusion that she was _very_ distracting.

* * *

They were currently walking towards what appeared to be the largest tree in the whole forest. There was a surreal beauty to the forest, dreamlike; it reminded Kagome about a painting she once saw in an art gallery long ago. The forest was silent, but did not feel threatening. The others admired its beauty and wondered how Inuyasha could have found such a place. Rin spotted the field of flowers and peered towards Inuyasha with pleading eyes, to which he inclined his head in approval and she raced down to attack the unsuspecting flowers.

"Is this where you live? It's beautiful." Kaede said breathlessly.

"Yes."

The two mikos followed the hanyou further into the woods. They noticed that the whole area was covered in field flowers of soft colours that contrasted with the vibrant green of the grass. As they reached nearer to the tree they noticed a beautifully constructed house of dark wood which could have looked like a miniature Japanese styled castle in Kagome's eyes.

She began to sense the presence of a jewel shard, a very familiar presence.

A figure appeared in front of the doorway and was running towards them. It was Kohaku. The young boy that Kagome had seen last time had grown up a lot taller, that he now was nearly the same height as her, although he had retained some of his boyish looks and freckles. He looked overjoyed to see Inuyasha.

"Inuyasha-san you've returned already!" He looked towards the other two with boyish curiosity.

The hanyou introduced the two women to the boy exterminator. "You remember Kagome?"

"Kagome-sama," he said as he bowed politely.

"And this is Kaede-san."

"Kaede-sama," he replied and again bowing politely. "I hope you both have been well."

The boy flashed a brilliant smile, and Kagome thought she was seeing things.

"Should I make preparations for our guests?"

"Yes Kohaku-kun, you may, and for Rin-chan as well."

Kagome saw a funny change in Kohaku's face, first shock, then confusion, and then finally his face became quite red.

"Are you alright Kohaku-kun? Do you have a fever?" She asked.

"Ah! No…Kagome-sama. It's just…well…ah…" He didn't finish his sentence as he raced back into the house.

Kaede smiled, "What a nice boy."

Kagome looked at her strangely and whispered, "That's not how I remember him."

"What's wrong with a well behaved boy?" Kaede whispered back.

"It's not that," Kagome answered her voice still low, "it's the fact he's smiling and I know for a fact that he never used to smile."

The old miko shrugged her shoulders, "I guess people change."

Kagome had to agree on that point, people did change, as she glanced back to the hanyou.

"Well, we had better go inside before it gets dark. I will show you around when we get inside." Inuyasha said and led the two women into the house.

If Kagome thought that the house was like a miniature castle she was not disappointed. The interior was well built and its furnishings, although sparse, was kept in a neat and orderly fashion. It only consisted of one floor, but it was built to give an illusion that it was much bigger. Kaede was impressed also, especially the comfortable looking cushions that lay scattered in one of the corners. She made a sigh of relief as she sat down and soon she had drifted to sleep. It was obvious that she was tired from the previous activities, however she had done quite well considering it took weeks to find Inuyasha without a proper rest in between.

"I see that Kaede-san over-exerted herself. Come, I will show you around."

The rest of the rooms consisted of two simple bedrooms, and a room that looked like a study with a wall dedicated to a shelf filled with scrolls. The house was apparently designed so all rooms faced the centrepiece, which was a fire pit, burning with a warm glow that looked quite inviting.

"I like the design." Kagome said.

"Thank you. I saw it in one of your magazines once, when I was bored at your house."

Kagome felt a tingling sensation in her eyes as she continued to look around the house in wonderment and became lost in her thoughts.

Inuyasha noticed her sudden change and that feeling of uneasiness had come back.

The house she stood in now made her think of her own home, her safe home, where she found comfort and warmth with her family.

Kagome looked at Inuyasha with a sudden pain in her eyes.

"What's wrong? You do not like it?"

Something in his tone, made Kagome think of the Inuyasha's past. How did it come to this? Kagome had invited him to dinner and he never showed up. He never showed up for several years. She remembered travelling with Kaede trying to search for the hanyou, but without his older brother's help it would have been hopeless.

They had eventually met, both eyes locked into shock at seeing the other. Inuyasha had looked away thinking it was a dream. It felt like a dream to her as well, but seeing him there, however different he dressed or acted was the only determination the miko needed to believe that he was actually real.

She didn't want to cry…really didn't, everything was going to be alright wasn't it?

She tried to blink the tears away, but they just kept filling unnecessarily.

"Kagome," he said starting to panic.

Inuyasha was here…

And she was here…together. There was nothing to cry about.

But she felt an overwhelming emotion flow through her that she was unable to stop.

They were together, and she felt like this was…home.

_Home?_

She collapsed down as she realised what it had meant and she cried.

Inuyasha was at a loss at what to do. He thought that she would like this house. Of course he did not know that was not exactly what the miko was thinking.

_Is it that bad?_ So he said the only thing that was able to come out of his mouth that would try and console the crying miko. "Kagome please…stop crying. I will fix the place if you want, anything," he tried to say as the panic only rose.

Kagome cried harder.

o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Until next time...


	19. Chapter 19

Inuyasha (manga and anime) belong to Takahashi-san

* * *

The Journey Home – Chapter Nineteen

Hot stew was cooking over the fire pit and a wonderful aroma was filling the room. The occupants' mouths were watering and couldn't wait for the meal to begin. The fire provided the only light in the house as the sky was dark with no moon to illuminate the sky.

Inuyasha had walked in, wearing a new kimono of crimson hues. His hair was still tied up, but instead of it being pure white, it was now the colour of night.

He placed himself next to Kagome, while Rin and Kohaku sat opposite to them, and Kaede sat at the head of the group. With the dinner served, everyone had begun to eat.

However, Kagome didn't feel that she had the appetite to eat; the reason being was that she had suddenly burst into tears, which caused much embarrassment for her. She couldn't help it. All those emotions had built up and she couldn't stop them; she wouldn't dare to look at the hanyou turned human in fear that she might do it again.

"I'm…I'm sorry about before…you know. I was just thinking about some things…and…it's nothing really." She said, quietly hoping the others couldn't hear their conversation.

Inuyasha smiled sadly and told her reassuringly, "Do not worry about it. Sometimes…it is good to cry, I guess."

It made Kagome wonder if Inuyasha ever did want to cry, but couldn't.

"Inuyasha, how long do you plan to stay here?" Kaede asked.

"Just for tonight or do you want to stay here longer Kaede-san?"

"No. I think I like to go back to my village. They're probably starting to wonder what has become of me. Besides doesn't Kagome need to fix the well?"

Kagome was startled, she had completely forgotten about that.

Inuyasha raised an eyebrow. "If you did not use the well, just _how_ did you end up here?"

Kagome thought back, trying to remember.

"Oh…a houshi from my time used a spell to transport me here. I didn't know about him until Hojo-kun introduced me to him. I tried everything to get to you, even those silly spells and charms that jii-chan used.

"When I got here, Kaede baa-chan decided to come with me and we spent ages looking for you. You were so hard to find. If it wasn't for your brother, well…"

She paused.

"I thought I would never see you again." She hoped that he wasn't angry at her for not telling him about travelling around with only another miko who was already old and no weapons at her disposal.

"The others were not there to see you?" He said almost disbelievingly.

"Inuyasha," Kaede said softly, "They left to go back to the exterminator's village about two years after you had left."

There was an uneasy silence that had settled around them as Kaede told the news.

"Oh," he felt his voice starting to shake, "well at least you came safely. Both of you are strong after all." He ended with barely a whisper. He got up and quietly went to his room, sliding the door behind him.

Kohaku looked towards the closed door in worry.

"Should I go see how he is?" He asked.

Kagome stood up and took the tray and placed another bowl of rice and stew next to her own, and headed towards the door.

"Will they be alright Kaede-sama? I've never seen him so upset." Rin asked after the miko had gone in.

Kaede faced the young teenagers with a sad smile.

"I hope so."

* * *

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The room was very dark, as if any light from outside had no way to enter the room. Kagome's eyes tried to adjust to the darkness as she fumbled around; being mindful that she didn't spill any of the stew. A hand caught her shoulder and she gasped. Two violet eyes stared at hers with a fierce intensity, the eyes then blinked and his expression softened slightly.

The grip on her shoulder slackened.

"Sorry, it is a bad habit I have. I keep thinking everyone is out to get me." He sighed and sat down near his futon.

Kagome could almost make out the silhouette of the hanyou turned human. She walked towards him, being very careful of the tray she was holding, and sat down next to him.

"You should eat something, I hardly see you eat anymore." She smiled. "You usually eat as much as twenty people would."

She could sense him coming closer towards her. Kagome felt a hand delicately brushing across her cheek, which caused a tingling sensation and it made her involuntary shiver.

Kagome brought her hand up to catch his and held them together in her lap. She felt his gaze as she held his hand, but she didn't feel as uncomfortable like she did when he was a hanyou and she wondered if it had anything to do with his now human blood.

As a hanyou, his eyes unsettled her as she found it difficult to know what he was thinking, even his ears showed no sign of emotion. But now, as a human, she could see the sadness in his eyes, a sadness that she wanted and needed to get rid of.

On the many moonless nights she had spent with Inuyasha a long time ago, she noticed that he was more willing to show more emotions than he was a hanyou.

And tonight was no different.

"I could say the same thing about you, Kagome." He said as he again touched her face hesitantly. "You look like you have lost some weight." Inuyasha seemed to look around for something. He picked up the chopsticks, gathered a clump of rice, and surprised Kagome by feeding her with the food.

Kagome started giggling. She felt like a school girl again. "What are you doing Inuyasha? I can feed myself you know." She said as she chewed her food.

"Be quiet and eat." He answered, a tiny smile appearing from hearing the miko's infectious laughter.

Even though it was dark and the now human Inuyasha couldn't probably see well, she rolled her eyes.

"Are you rolling your eyes at me? I am not blind you know."

The tone of his voice made it sound like he was making fun of her and she stopped laughing suddenly. "Are you making fun if me?" She asked just to make sure.

"I would not dream of it," he answered somehow sensing that he might be in trouble.

"Oh good," she said slowly. "Then I probably wouldn't have to do this…"

She grinned evilly, snatched the chopsticks from him, and successfully fed him a clump of rice, with much struggling from Inuyasha.

He heard her soft laughter in the darkness, and seeing his chance, snatched back the pair of chopsticks. He heard her gasp and in a split second managed to get a piece of tofu in her mouth. Kagome chewed angrily while glaring at the hanyou, hoping that he couldn't see in the dark.

"You are glaring at me now, Higurashi Kagome?" He dared to say knowing he would be in trouble. But it was her fault anyway.

Kagome's good humour had broken, how dare himas if she would allow him to get away with it. With a pair of chopsticks as her weapons, she readied a helping of rice. She heard the human boy step back and she knew she had him in a corner. Kagome stalked closer towards him. Inuyasha realised that he was trapped, but he would not go down without a fight. It was a long time since he had someone who would really challenge him.

Holding up a clump of rice, Kagome edged closer to him with a smile or smirk he could not tell.

"Inuyasha…," she began, "get ready."

And the food fight began.

It was a fierce fight, with no one backing down.

They would have laughed, but found it hard with the food in their mouths.

Inuyasha did not stand a chance.

Not that it really mattered anyway.

* * *

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The tray, empty of food lay forgotten on the floor. Kagome lay in the warm futon while Inuyasha was outside making preparations for travel the next day with Kohaku. About an hour later he came back, and Kagome could see that now he wore a sleeping yukuta. He closed the sliding door and sat in a corner ready for sleep to take over.

No one spoke for a while, but in Kagome's mind she wanted to ask so many questions.

"Do you want to ask me something?" He asked in the darkness.

It sometimes amazed her at how he would know what she was thinking, it had scared her, or probably she made it very obvious to him.

"It's…um, your fire-rat haori and hakama. You don't wear it anymore."

"Yes."

"Where…is it?" she asked.

Inuyasha nodded his head towards the next room, "In the study room. I keep Tessaiga there as well."

Kagome was a bit surprised; she thought he would carry that katana everywhere.

"I…just do not feel I am worthy enough to use it anymore." He said, answering her silent question.

Kagome sat straight up in shock, how he could say that, it was his heirloom after all and he deserved it more than anybody. She had a feeling that he was hiding something else.

She wanted to know more about his past, if he would tell her. Kagome knew that he would be upset, she could see it, but she had to try.

"Please. You don't have to tell me all of it. It's just been so long, and…everything's different, and…," she kept darting her eyes from him to the ground, still noticing that his rosary was missing. However, she was too afraid to ask.

Inuyasha noticed her glances, and knew somewhere deep his mind just what she was thinking about.

And he smiled knowingly, almost a smirk.

"Does it bother you Kagome?"

Kagome knew she was caught out and felt ashamed for thinking such a thing.

Inuyasha's smirk had faded and he said softly, "You can say it, you know, I would not mind."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to. It's just…well…I'm just use to seeing you in all the red and all. And your rosary was just there." She answered, barely a whisper.

There was another long silence, where they both had to recollect their thoughts.

"I'm sorry, I took so long to get to you," she said after a while, inwardly cursing her tears, "I just didn't know how."

Inuyasha could not help but smile sadly, when had she become so teary? He did not mean to make her cry. He slowly walked up to the teary girl and brought her to his arms. She gasped in surprise, but after a while, she relaxed into his embrace. His voice was soft, almost affectionate she noted, and Kagome could feel the tickling coolness of his breath.

"Please don't cry. We're together now aren't we?" He asked with a hint of uncertainty in his voice.

He could feel her head nod against him.

"I…do not really know what had happened to my rosary. I had never realised it was gone until I saw my reflection in the river." He paused for a while. "All the past years, it felt like a blur. When I had left Kaede-san's village, I felt so useless, that I could not do anything right, that is why I did not want to use the Tessaiga. I saw myself ruining everything, everybody's lives…

"Everything I do now is a fight for survival, I…I cannot mess things up anymore. One mistake is fatal. That is how I have been. I do not need to protect anyone. I just have to kill whoever is in my way."

His tone had slowly changed, now sounding dark and cold, which Kagome did not like at all. It had reminded her of his older brother. She suppressed a shiver.

"And for what?" He continued, this time holding the jewel in his hands. "For the sake of the Shikon no Tama, such a pure jewel I hold in my filthy hands. It has a beautiful glow and yet it is horrible…"

The miko could feel the rise in jyaki surrounding Inuyasha even though he was now human.

Kagome shook him desperately as she saw him going into another trance-like state, and she feared if it had lasted longer, she might not get her hanyou back.

She could see that the jewel was already glowing, a deep violet colour, swirling with dark energies.

"Inuyasha, Inuyasha! Snap out of it!"

The glowing died down immediately.

Inuyasha blinked his eyes in confusion and he felt his head was spinning.

This time, it was Kagome who held him, as he shook uncontrollably. She began to rub his back in soothing motions until he had calmed down. He returned the embrace, feeling the warmth of her body.

He wanted to fall asleep, but instead he asked her a question.

"Would like to see your friends soon? It will be along the way when we get to Kaede-san's village."

Her answer was apprehensive. "Yeah, I guess so, but they're your friends too."

He didn't answer.

* * *

Author's notes -

katana - japanese sword

haori - jacket that is worn over kimono

hakama - pants

* * *

Like to leave a review? Any comments are appreciated. And thankyou for everyone who has reviewed so far (big hugs to everyone!). I am glad that you are enjoying the story as much as I have enjoyed writing it.

Until next time...


	20. Chapter 20

Inuyasha (manga and anime) belong to Takahashi-san

* * *

The Journey Home – Chapter Twenty

It was a cold early morning and mist could still be seen floating harmlessly near the ground. Three strong and sturdy horses waited for their riders outside of the house, each carrying a load of weapons and supplies. Kohaku stood nearby the horses giving them their breakfast, which they ate without too much of a fuss. Rin soon followed, running up to join the exterminator, with a bouquet of freshly picked flowers. She handed them to the confused boy.

"I picked these for you Kohaku." She said shyly while blushing.

"Rin, aren't I supposed to give you flowers?" He answered, realising too late with what he just said, and quickly put his hand to cover his mouth before he would say anything else that would embarrass him further.

Rin giggled.

Thankfully or unthankfully, it was around the same time that Inuyasha went out of the house in his usual white kimono and hakama with a deep navy haori. He smiled secretively at the scene the couple were making. Kohaku saw this and gave him an accusing glare. Inuyasha ignored it; instead he stuck his tongue out which had startled the both of them.

"Is Kagome-sama nearly ready?" The boy asked, wondering if the hanyou's behaviour had anything to do with what had happened last night.

There was a lot of thumping going on last night.

"I am." Kagome said as she walked down the stairs wearing something that Inuyasha had never seen before.

It did a funny thing with his heart.

Kagome saw his gaze and smiled shyly.

He looked away, embarrassed that he was caught staring again.

Kaede was the last one to leave and she was disappointed that she may not see the beautiful house ever again. She never had lived in anything so luxurious, and she was thinking of asking Inuyasha to build a similar structure.

She sighed.

She wasn't getting any younger and she had seen many things in her lifetime, the most shocking was when Kagome had disappeared and their friends had abandoned him thinking that the hanyou was the cause of the younger miko's disappearance.

All those years alone had paid a great toll on her; the things she did were half-hearted and she felt weaker every day.

It must have been the same for the hanyou and miko. She could tell by their posture and appearance. Kagome had become quieter and lacked her youthful energy, and Inuyasha had become ruthless and indifferent. But as she saw them now together again, she was relieved, hopefully they would be able to make peace with each other and with their other companions, and she didn't want to die with sadness or hate in her heart.

Just like her dearly departed sister.

She saw them playfully arguing about something, Rin and Kohaku had joined in as well, which resulted Kohaku being held in a head lock while Inuyasha ruffled his hair.

She smiled.

* * *

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"Inuyasha, I'm tired." Kagome said while yawning.

"Tired? But you are on a horse." Inuyasha replied, suppressing the urge to yawn as well.

The sun was high in the sky and it was warmer than usual, that it made everyone sleepy. If they weren't careful one of them might be unfortunate to fall off in an undignified manner.

Kagome looked at the back of the hanyou as he chose to walk beside their horse, his white hair swishing from side to side, that it was almost hypnotic.

It looked like he preferred wearing darker colours nowadays, although she did really miss the red haori and hakama. The hanyou also carried a lot more weapons with him, instead of just the Tessaiga. However Kagome did notice that while packing, he had placed his old clothes and Tessaiga in a bag and tied it to his horse. Thankfully Kagome was armed too, with Inuyasha's gift of the bow and a quiver of arrows; she hoped she remembered how to use them and regretted not joining the archery club in high school. Maybe it would be a good idea if she would ask the hanyou to let her practice.

_So many weapons,_ she thought, as she saw the various spears, katana, bow and arrows. Another one that had caught her eye was a blood red wagasa. Inuyasha didn't seem to be the type to carry around an umbrella. Or she could be wrong. It looked innocent enough.

"It is a dagger." He said without looking at her. To prove it, he took it out to show her.

Kagome was startled, as she eyed the sharp blade in slight nervousness. That was a _very_ sharp blade.

They finally had stopped for lunch, hot ramen. Inuyasha never realised how much he had miss the noodles. Rice everyday just did not fill him sometimes. He slurped down the noodles as if it were his last meal.

Despite his newfound rudeness, Kagome couldn't help laughing. She had always liked the cute face he pulled every time he would eat the instant food, and then he would glare at her with a small string of noodle hanging from his mouth.

Which was exactly what she was seeing now.

"Whapmt?"

She smiled and shook her head, she was about to say something else, when she felt a pulse of energy run through her.

"I can sense a jewel fragment."

"What?" He said and got ready for the impending battle.

Inuyasha looked about him, the sky already dark, with swirling jyaki suffocating his sensitive nose. Violent gusts of wind blew up leaves and dust which stung his eyes.

He could feel Kagome's grip on his arm get tighter. She was scared; it was probably a long time since she met a rabid youkai.

He frowned slightly; youkai or humans might use her as bait, so he would surrender.

No he would never let that happen. He felt his own youki rise in response. No one would dare touch her; she was, if more precious than any jewel and if they thought they could exploit that…

They would have to deal with him first.

The wind had died somewhat to reveal a youkai with a human appearance. He was of a medium build, dark hair tied up in a red ribbon. His clothes were a simple decorated kimono with a pair of grey hakama. The youkai's appearance was not outstanding; however his dark red eyes gave an eerie glow which gave Kagome chilling shivers down her spine. The youkai smirked at the hanyou, and the miko noticed that Inuyasha had not moved in an attack position.

"Well," he began, his voice almost mocking the hanyou, "I have heard many rumours about a houshi gaining the strength of the Shikon no Tama. However I can sense this power coming from you. Unless you're in disguise which I find amusing that you would disguise yourself as a _hanyou_ and surround yourself with_ useless_ women and children."

Inuyasha, however, did not sound as if he had been insulted, in fact he sounded apologetic towards the youkai.

"Ah, I am sorry that my company is not to your liking, perhaps if we talked alone, we could make some arrangement?"

"You think you are a clever thing don't you? You are only a weak hanyou or whatever you are, carrying the jewel for its power. You don't deserve it."

The hanyou smiled a smile that unnerved the youkai. "And you think you do?" He drew out the black envelope that his brother had given to him earlier and made the youkai catch a glimpse of it.

The youkai knew what it had meant and he narrowed his eyes.

The youkai was furious. _How dare him! I'll kill him and his women. _His eyes started to glow; claws became elongated, and he snarled viciously at the hanyou. He launched himself forward, with the wind he created; he thrust himself forward for his first attack.

Inuyasha met his attack head on, running forward with his hand on the handle of the katana. The youkai saw this and immediately dodged the attack as he narrowly avoided having one of his arms being sliced off if he were any closer.

He smiled cruelly at the back of the hanyou.

"Hah, you don't even fight very well with a _human _katana. This will be too easy." He turned to face the hanyou again and found him running towards the forest. He cursed; there was no way that bastard was going to run away with _his _jewel. He began to run after the hanyou knowing that he would catch up to him soon.

He did not notice that Kagome and the others were watching him and he did not think to try and use the unprotected humans to his own advantage. All he cared about was the jewel and killing the impostor houshi.

The Shikon no Tama belonged to him.

* * *

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The youkai ran through the forest, trying to catch up with the hanyou. _How did he run so fast?_ He was not tired, but finding him was frustrating and he had a feeling he should have planned it better.

How the hanyou was able to obtain the jewel was beyond him. Hanyou were not supposed to be very strong. Those bastard spawn should not exist. And the fact that he was a blood relation to the great Sesshoumaru was the only reason he needed to get rid of him. He had his orders.

The forest was unearthly quiet. He began to get nervous, but he did not panic.

The trees rustled in the wind.

There were no songs of birds.

His eyes began to dart in every direction.

He heard footsteps and spun around.

He found nothing.

Something was looming over the trees, but the youkai below did not notice it.

The figure jumped down and startled the youkai. He could feel sweat starting to build on his forehead. He saw the hanyou walking slowly towards him. The youkai decided to compose himself, and both of them walked in half a circle preparing for the battle.

"Hanyou, fight with your fists," he smirked, "it will be fairer for you."

Inuyasha dropped his katana and wakizashi, and brought his fists to a defense position. The youkai attacked first, giving multiple thrusts of his right fist to see how the hanyou would block it.

Inuyasha blocked all the attacks with his raised arms but could not do much else while he was being assaulted by the punches.

The youkai saw this advantage and with lightning speed, used his claws to swipe across the hanyou's chest.

The two backed up a bit and waited for the results.

Inuyasha felt his kimono and only felt torn fabric. _That was close._ Seeing the youkai smirk, Inuyasha knew he had to get serious about this fight and to finish him off quickly. Spies were likely to be in the area as well, but he would deal with them later.

He dug his claws into his flesh and let out his blood claws slashing everything in its path.

Inuyasha could see his opponent's anger rise as he tried to dodge each attack; it was time to get rid of him.

He ran forward, bringing his claws to slash at any defence manoeuvres. He came closer, his eyes narrowed on the exact position he wanted to strike.

The youkai was ready for him, was he ready to strike for blood? It was about time for things to get interesting. He saw the direction the hanyou was aiming to strike, he smirked. He was so predictable.

He saw the hanyou was coming closer, claws outstretched.

Then something odd happened.

The hanyou disappeared.

Before Inuyasha struck he jumped quickly out of the youkai's vision, too fast for the youkai to recognise. He used his momentum while falling to deliver a forceful strike with his leg onto the youkai's shoulder.

The youkai almost fainted from the shock caused by the strike; his vision seemed to diverge with dizziness. He stumbled a few times trying to catch his balance. He got ready to attack again. He sprinted forward hoping to catch the hanyou by surprise and launched a half spin kick to the hanyou's left side.

Inuyasha stepped back and grabbed his opponent's ankles, swung him a few times and threw him to a tree with a terrific crash. The trunk of the tree cracked with force almost breaking it in half.

In the youkai's blurred vision, he saw the vision of the hanyou coming towards him. _Am I going to die by a half-breed?_

"I have nothing against you, but give me your jewel shard and I will let you live." He calmly said, his tone chilling.

He spat at the hanyou's feet, snarling at him showing his sharp teeth. "I'd rather die, you filthy hanyou."

He saw the hanyou's eyes, golden like the sun, a piercing glare which made him shiver slightly with fright. He tried to run, but he was still dizzy from the fight. He wished he had never heard of the hanyou. All those stories he had heard, where people or youkai ended up dead for the pursuit of the Shikon no Tama, all ended up with this bastard half-breed. He saw that Inuyasha was raising his claws to strike the final blow. He smiled bitterly. _What a way to die._ He saw the hanyou's face was indifferent, the shadows that played on his face made him ever more sinister. He noticed how the hanyou's face had remained unchanged throughout the battle. And he wondered what could have happened to make him become like that.

He felt intense pain and then he fell into darkness.

* * *

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Inuyasha stood near the now dead body of the youkai, a jewel shard in his possession. It was a good thing he did not try to use it. He looked at the body again and decided it was best to give him a proper burial. He started digging the hole, thinking how many more people or youkai he had to kill before completing the Shikon no Tama. He did not like to kill, but he had to, to survive. Or else he would be the one dead. Every death, he found, it had become meaningless to him. If they attacked him, he would be forced to defend and that was all.

However he was glad that the others were not here to witness the horrible scene. Especially Kagome or Rin, they would be probably too scared of him anyway.

He placed the body into the hole, filled it again with the dirt and placed a wooden marker for the grave.

His thoughts fell silent again as he prayed for the soul. Would anyone forgive him anyway?

He would have to go back soon before the others became worried.

* * *

Author's notes -

katana - japanese sword

wakizashi - shorter form of the katana

wagasa - japanese umbrella

youki - a youkai's energy

* * *

Until next time... 


	21. Chapter 21

Inuyasha (manga and anime) belong to Takahashi-san

* * *

The Journey Home – Twenty One

In the distance stood the old youkai-taijiya village, encircled by tall wooden fencing. A steady stream of smoke floated up towards the sky to indicate that the village was currently inhabited.

A lone houshi was travelling back to the village carrying a cloth sack of supplies. Above him flew a large two-tailed neko. Her golden fur flew wildly against the breeze, and she roared to signal their arrival.

At one of the watch towers stood a boy in his adolescent years, his tail swishing in excitement with the arrival of the houshi. He called out to announce the arrival before gracefully jumping down to open the large heavy gate for the houshi to pass through, while the neko flew over the fence.

"Houshi-sama, welcome home," it was Sango's voice, happy to see that Miroku had returned safely and with fresh supplies.

Miroku dropped the heavy bag with a thud and quickly grasped the young lady's hands.

"Sango, you have truly worried about me? Such a kind and beautiful soul you are." He said, distracting her while his hand searched involuntary for that special spot.

Sango stepped back out of his reach, blushing from his words and frowning from his wandering hand.

Miroku sighed, he was so close.

However Sango's tone became serious and left no room for argument. "Well, any rumours about Naraku or the Shikon no Tama?"

The houshi raised a hand towards his chin in a thinking gesture. "Yes, there were many rumours, although…none of them were about Naraku. As for the Shikon no Tama, many people have suggested that it was separated again and left for almost anyone to obtain," his face had become grim and worried.

Shippou decided to add his comment.

"But, if there is no news of Naraku, could it be possible that he's dead or at least hiding like last time. We spent years just looking for him and we never truly defeated him."

It was a topic that plagued them for years.

Miroku thought for a moment, it was possible, for he had heard many stories about this particular person.

"I have heard another story as well, although it might be false." He began, trying to get the description right. "I think it was a houshi, travelling around the country searching for the pieces of the Shikon no Tama…one with great spiritual powers, that most people or youkai are afraid of.

"Others say that he has become possessed by the jewel, killing those who have any shards. He holds no remorse for his killings, as some people say; the land he walks over is always covered with the colour red. But like I said…it could be false."

"Mmm…that is interesting. However, if he kills without remorse…he could be a youkai. No one human could kill that many at one time." Sango narrowed her eyes, "Youkai or human, he has the jewel. It might be Naraku in another disguise."

"Do you want to go and seek him?" Miroku asked, but he already knew her answer.

Sango's face became determined, "Of course. We'll set out tomorrow.

Shippou smiled, it was about time they went travelling again. He had missed those days.

* * *

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Miroku stood outside the hut, watching the delicate flowers that were brushed by the winds. He was deep in thought, mostly about the past, where the rest of the group consisted of the hanyou and the miko from the future. It was a long time since he had seen those two, always arguing about everything, which usually ended up with the hanyou being 'sat' while Kagome would go home crying. Or that's what Shippou would always tell him.

But in the end they always stuck together, which Miroku found odd, especially where Kikyou was concerned. Every time the hanyou would find news of the un-dead miko, he would always, almost immediately run after her. This always, _always_ created drama for everybody else.

The houshi was positive that Inuyasha had promised more or less to stay with Kagome.

Kikyou was always a sore point for the both of them, he knew this. How long would Inuyasha keep his promise with Kagome? Maybe not for long whenever Kikyou was in the area. But when no one was looking, excluding himself of course, he would see them together, like old friends. And he had prayed that the fates or the Kami would smile upon them.

He grinned.

It was a constant amusement for him to tease the hanyou about his growing relationship with Kagome, and Inuyasha would always end up turning red as his haori.

He missed those times.

Now he had no male companionship, besides from Shippou. But the kitsune was still a child.

Shippou was another matter, it seemed to him that he despised Inuyasha the most and always found time to pick on him, which resulted in another 'sit' command when the kitsune would start crying and calling for Kagome. He always took Kagome's side in the argument, in fact nearly everyone did, and they would always blame him.

Just like last time, when Inuyasha had sealed the well from Kagome ever entering ever again. They saw the confusion on the hanyou's face, then the irritation and finally the anger. It felt like the perfect setup for them; they would blame him again, just like before.

They took it as their duty to drive the hanyou out, especially the young kitsune, as he was able to sniff him out.

It was so easy…

But it didn't stop the feeling that someone was cruelly laughing at him.

The years went on, and they had decided to return back to the exterminator's village, to rebuild what they had lost. And perhaps to start a family, if the time was right.

Kohaku was no where to be found, every night he would see that Sango would look at the moon, tears staining her beautiful face. She had made it her mission to look for him until she no longer could.

Shippou had grown up to be a fine looking young man who attracted a lot of attention from other female youkai and human women, which he took in with an air of overconfidence. In addition, he had proper training from Sango and himself, meaning that he could show off to the women using his natural grace and his taught skills as a warrior.

The kitsune knew this and he showed it too.

Miroku sighed.

He would learn about the real world when one of them would reject him.

His mind wandered aimlessly again as more thoughts of the past came.

It was about in the evening time a while back when the incident happened; he was tending to the herb gardens, when he felt a severe pain striking at his right hand. The pain so intense that he thought Naraku had won and started opening the kazaana just to mock him. He gritted his teeth and was sweating profusely from the stabbing pain.

He thought he was going to die.

Then the pain stopped suddenly.

Miroku weakly opened his eyes, to find that he still existed in this world.

_Could it be?_

With a nervous hand, Miroku unravelled the beads around his wrist and hand that concealed the kazaana. He shut his eyes with anticipation and opened the hand fearfully. He waited for the winds to engulf him.

Nothing…

His eyes widened in disbelief. There it was, his right hand unblemished and no kazaana in sight, he knew what this had meant, Naraku was gone, or in hiding. But he had never felt such severe pain the last time Naraku had supposedly vanished. It felt so strange looking at his bare right hand, it felt strangely empty.

But he was not sorry.

He had rushed into the hut to tell the others, which they too had similar reactions, but one question on their minds. _Was he really gone?_

With Naraku hopefully gone, his mind began to wander elsewhere; he had wanted to start a family with Sango. However, now he had become hesitant, almost unwilling to further the relationship. He was not sure if Sango had noticed, but he would keep it to himself.

There were many times when he had to take a walk by himself just so he could empty his mind and that was where he had learnt the rumours of the Shikon no Tama being shattered again which confirmed their suspicions that Naraku was dead or in hiding and using the shattered jewel to his advantage.

On his most recent outings, he kept hearing news of a houshi of some sort. He sounded very powerful, if he had collected most of the Shikon no Tama.

They themselves had been searching for the jewel shards ever since they heard it being shattered again.

He wondered if Inuyasha would be searching for it as well, alone. That word had stung his heart, would they ever see him again, or would he remain hidden forever, becoming the shadows that would haunt them for eternity.

At least it had haunted him.

What would happen if they did meet him again?

He shivered.

Perhaps he was dead, from trying to defeat Naraku on his own. But surely he would have had assistance from Kouga or even Sesshoumaru.

Even that he had doubted.

The houshi story intrigued him very much, but one fact had worried him: He would kill _anyone _who had a piece of the jewel. Not that was the ordinary thing to do when a human or youkai possessed the jewel and wanted more. It had more to do with the fact that was all he had heard about him. He didn't seem to kill for fun and leisure nor had any kind of celebration in his honour which was the usual thing for a houshi. Absolutely nothing could be found about this person and Miroku wondered who or what they could be dealing with exactly.

They had decided amongst themselves that they would set out early in the morning to find if the stories were true. However, they had to prepare, if this houshi was as dangerous as they said he was. Then they could not take any chances.

Also if the person was possessed by the power of the jewel, they would just have to exorcise whatever was polluting his soul.

After all they were youkai-taijiyaby trade, so they would have no problems whatsoever.

Miroku frowned.

Inuyasha was collecting them before when the group was together. He shook his head to clear his mind; he hadn't slept well for a long time.

Miroku headed back inside before it got too dark. Inside of his monk's robes, glowed two Shikon shards, he planned to use them to lure the houshi out.

* * *

Until next time... 


	22. Chapter 22

Inuyasha (manga and anime) belong to Takahashi-san

* * *

The Journey Home – Chapter Twenty Two

Inuyasha was quieter than he would usually be as they sat around the camp fire for dinner, a boar roasting on the fire, giving out a favourable aroma. They were camped beside an onsen, which Kagome was delighted; it was a convenient spot for a nice hot bath, and Rin had cheerfully agreed. Kohaku decided to survey the area in case there could be any danger ahead, but made sure he stayed away from the onsen, or he would be the one in danger.

"What is troubling you my child?" Kaede asked in hushed tones. She saw that he looked slightly depressed, ever since he had come out of those woods after fighting the youkai.

The hanyou looked at the old miko and Kaede could clearly see his eyes. She used to be so accustomed to his expressive and fiery nature, which she had to admit, she had missed it. And wondered when he would ever get back to normal, or at least a little bit.

"Is it alright if I kill other beings?" He answered softly looking away from her.

Kaede was silent and didn't know how to answer his question. What do you say when someone asks you if it was alright to kill? Say everything would be alright?

"I have to protect the Shikon no Tama…but…that is all I can do. That is all that I am driven to do. But I feel like I am doing this for nothing. I have no purpose." He seemed to observe his hands in deep concentration, yet it was hard to tell from Kaede's point of view.

"Of course you have a purpose. Everyone does. That is what keeps our will to live. You, yourself had a difficult life and yet…you are still here," she smiled, "I wonder why…," and she left it at that.

Inuyasha was silent for a long time, trying to puzzle out Kaede's question. It never really had occurred to him the reason that he still existed in this life, and in truth when he had been questioned about it just then, well…he was baffled. _Why _am_ I still alive?_ It was then he felt his gaze being unconsciously drawn towards where Kagome had been and wondered what exactly it meant.

They heard the rustling of leaves as Kagome and Rin came out of their bath, laughing without a care in the world. Kagome noticed that the hanyou's empty gaze fell onto her and she wondered what he was thinking.

Suddenly he blinked; turning away from her he stood up and slowly walked out.

She decided to follow him.

* * *

Inuyasha peered at his reflection in the river, and saw someone look back at him. Someone who wore subdued colours and had his hair tied up. He then saw fragments of his past. He saw another person wearing red and his hair flowed down in a wild fashion. That same person had the most arrogant expression he had ever seen. With a clawed hand, he tried to touch the other person in the water. Ripples were created instead and now all he saw was his own reflection, his own haunting reflection, an empty reflection that did not smile back at him.

He never smiled anymore. He had forgotten how to. Now, he could not feel anything.

He sighed, and moved away from the river not wanting to see anymore.

He reached into his kimono had pulled out the single fragment of the jewel and held it up to the moonlight. Pulling out the other part of the Shikon no Tama, he fused them together to create a larger part of the jewel. The hanyou felt a strange power from his hands as the jewel glowed a beautiful rose colour. The jewel felt warm as he held it between his fingers.

But one thing had bothered him: Did he have to kill that youkai just to obtain one shard of the jewel?

_You have done well Inuyasha, _a calming voice said.

"Yes." He replied detachedly.

_I can sense the presence of the jewel fragment, however it is nothing to worry about…for now._

"Of course, Midoriko-sama," he replied.

There was a sudden rustle in the bushes and then small, hesitant footsteps. Inuyasha stood up cautiously, fingering the handle of his katana, but not making any move.

"Inuyasha," said a female voice.

He turned to look at her and was a bit surprised to see Kagome.

"You shouldn't walk out like that. You do have to eat at least a little." She said as she walked up to him noticing that his eyes were black a few seconds ago. But right now it didn't bother her. She raised a hand and timidly, delicately touched his face, over his closed eyes, his cheek…

Inuyasha caught her hand and held it against his face feeling the smooth texture of her skin. "What was that for?" He asked.

"I can see it," she replied. "Something is bothering you."

The hanyou found that he could not look directly at her, "I want to ask you something."

"Yes?"

"You saw that youkai from before?"

Kagome nodded her head to say she understood.

"He is…gone."

And Kagome understood his meaning. "You didn't want to kill him." She said quietly.

He did not answer, but he lowered his head and looked away from her. Finally he said, "I'm sorry."

Kagome found herself wrapping her arms around him in a comforting embrace. She found the words were unable to come out, anything to say that would try and comfort the hanyou. Nothing came to mind, so she said the only thing she could. "You were only trying to protect yourself, like you always have."

_But, I always wanted to protect you Kagome. _He really did and he always would, if she would let him. Inuyasha knew he had asked her something that was very difficult; however he had wanted to hear what she would say. Would she think that he was a monster?

The miko continued, smiling a little. "Do you remember when I said that I will stay by your side, no matter what? I meant that. I won't leave you, especially now that we're together, I promise." She knew it wasn't the right answer, but what she had said was the truth.

He could not believe the words he had just heard. She still wanted to stay with him even after all this time. _Did she... really say that to me before?_ He embraced her in return, an unfamiliar happiness filling his being and soul.

More memories came back as he held the young woman.

A long time ago, he had wanted to ask her before, if he would be able to live with her, to spend the rest of his days in her company. Some day, he would find the courage to ask her.

"Should we go back?" Kagome asked.

Inuyasha felt himself smiling as Kagome intertwined her hand with his, leading him back to the campsite.

The aroma became stronger with each step.

And suddenly they were very hungry.

* * *

Author's notes -

onsen - hotspring

* * *

Until next time...after I finsish my essay. So sleepy right now 


	23. Chapter 23

Inuyasha (manga and anime) belong to Takahashi-san

* * *

The Journey Home – Twenty Three

The group had stopped by a merchant village, which was bustling with activity, with fresh produce and many accessories to sell. It would only take one or two weeks before they would arrive at Kaede's village, they would have gone quicker, but Inuyasha somehow preferred to go at an almost leisurely pace. Not that anyone else was complaining.

Kagome and Inuyasha had decided to break off from the group for awhile to catch up on old times. They sat on a spread blanket near the bridge that crossed to the other side of the village. The sunshine felt warm at this part of the day, it was the part of the day where it was permissible to be lazy. They could hear the trickling of water coming from the river which produced a calming and relaxing atmosphere.

Inuyasha turned to look at Kagome.

"So did you see how the well got blocked?" He asked in sudden curiosity while taking a swig of his water bottle.

"Well, Kaede baa-chan said she saw a huge tree was blocking the well."

Inuyasha sighed.

"Hahh…no wonder they thought it was me. I did do _that_ last time. Twice I think." He laughed hollowly.

Kagome turned towards the hanyou in surprise, he sounded as if he didn't care anymore. Anger built inside of her and she pulled the locks of his hair so he could face her directly. His eyes locked into her fiery gaze and he almost had to suppress himself from gulping with fear.

"How could you say such a thing? They had no right to accuse you, they had no proof."

Inuyasha realised that she was not angry at him, well not mostly, and found himself smiling sadly. "They did not need proof, they need evidence. They said they saw me, and they probably saw Kikyou-san's soul skimmers and…that was all they needed to know."

The miko let go of his hair and somehow could feel his sorrow that radiated off him.

"I did not know why they did such a thing." Inuyasha continued, "I thought it was all a trick. But it was them. They were so angry and they hated me…really did.

"I only found out later that it was Naraku who had done it, whatever he did. I could see that sort of smile on his face, like he had something to tell." He shook his head. "He was a real joker he was…tricking everyone."

"Naraku…so it _was _really him, but why?" She asked in disbelief.

The hanyou shrugged his shoulders, "Who knows really. Perhaps he thought it would be better if he had separated everyone. I mean, he could not fight all of us, could he? And that was what he did best, I guess."

Kagome knew he had a point, Naraku was that type of person, one who was able to manipulate people with such ease it had sicken her.

"So he is _dead _dead. As in, he won't come back like last time?" Kagome asked.

"No, I purified him. He ceases to exist." He replied in an eerie voice that certainly was not his own. He looked at his hands, the same hands that had killed the dark hanyou. It seemed to Kagome that the hanyou had drifted into his own world again.

When Naraku was dying, Inuyasha felt an immense power emitting from inside of him, it was Midoriko's power. She had told him in his dreams that she would help him if he would get the jewel for her and Inuyasha had agreed. It had taken many moons to search for him, resulting in a huge battle that would take days and nights. Mountains were ripped apart and whole forests burnt with intense flames and shouki.

On the final day, he felt that his whole soul was being purified as he stabbed at where the heart of Naraku would be, but it was not painful, well not for him. They were both engulfed by a piercing luminosity as the concentration of Midoriko's power increased. It was at that moment he felt his soul had lightened. Free from any emotions, from pain, from melancholy.

And nothing mattered to him anymore.

Naraku had sneered at him, thinking he was going to get away, like always. But before Naraku realised it, it was already too late. Inuyasha had already delivered the final blow and the dark hanyou was nothing more than burnt flesh that was soon scattered by the winds.

"Wow, I wish I could have seen that." She said as she startled Inuyasha from his reverie. She leaned a little closer so her head was just resting against the hanyou's shoulder.

Inuyasha blushed in embarrassment. "It wasn't that great," he claimed, trying to not be distracted by her closeness, "it's like every battle I face, all I do is fight."

"But you always have so much passion when you fight, your eyes kind of light up."

Inuyasha could swear that he was getting very hot and not just from embarrassment. Sometimes the woman gave him more praise than he deserved. He could see that Kagome had started to blush herself but she did not try to move away from him.

"Well to me, you're amazing, if no one else thinks so." Her hand inched down towards his and she knew that her heartbeat was sounding louder than usual.

They sat together, both blushing madly, and both not knowing how to get out of this predicament. Kagome felt the tension between herself and the young man that sat so close to her, that she could clearly see the rouge tint on his cheeks. Never in her life had she felt so scared, close to being panicky at suddenly wanting to do something but her body was refusing to respond. She was sure that Inuyasha might not do anything; he had always been shy, even now. But she couldn't do anything…

…While a certain group was watching them.

It was a very endearing scene in the viewer's eyes. Kohaku, Rin and even the old miko were sitting quietly behind them, under a cover of a conveniently placed bush. The women were secretively smiling at the scene the couple were making. It was much more interesting than the markets right now and they wouldn't want to miss this chance.

Kohaku on the other hand, grudgingly wanted to know why he was dragged into such a mess. He didn't particularly want to be here watching something that was not his business. He never understood it, the way a woman's mind would go in the pursuit of romance, and it was something that he would probably never understand. Fighting he did know, that was easy, it was something that he liked to do. Romance bewildered his mind and he decided to just stop thinking about it. Besides, with Inuyasha there, he knew he was going to never hear the end of it.

However right now as he saw them, they were not doing much, and didn't look like they were going to do anything. That had really annoyed Kohaku somewhat. He had known there was something going on between the hanyou and miko, and it was kind of obvious. But doing nothing more than holding hands and blushing, he established that they were stubborn beyond belief and he needed to rectify it, or he could be sitting here all day. He stood up abruptly making Rin slightly fearful with what he was about to say.

"Inuyasha-san, why don't you k-kiss her already, damn you!"

Rin and Kaede gasped.

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It took every bit of his calm demeanour _not_ to do something that he would later regret. He was calm…very calm…_You just wait Kohaku_…no he had better not…he was calm…

"Don't pay any attention to them Inuyasha." Kagome giggled as she wrapped her arm around his in probably some whimsical attempt to try and stop him.

"Why not?" He asked softly as he tried to eye the boy exterminator.

"Because then," she answered with humour in her voice, "Rin-chan and Kohaku-kun would know what to do."

Inuyasha found himself laughing a little at the miko's silly answer, "You silly woman."

However, he noticed a change of scents coming into the area, it tingled in his nostrils and he suppressed the urge to sneeze. He sniffed the air again, wrinkling his nose; they were only humans, probably those of a spiritual profession. But there was something else, the same power that he felt every time he was close to any part of the Shikon no Tama.

"You feel it too don't you, two jewel fragments." Kagome said as she became alert again, she hoped they wouldn't be forced to fight in a busy village, and she was just beginning to enjoy herself.

She could sense the jewel; it was faint and coming towards the village, however she felt no threat from the source. She squeezed his hand slightly, with worry in her voice.

"What should we do? Do you think we should approach them?"

Inuyasha thought for a moment, should they be left alone? He did not feel that he would want to deal with another houshi or miko; sometimes they would be much worse than the most powerful youkai. Not so much in power, but their annoying monologues about how he was not worthy, and he would have the pleasure of listening to every single one of them. He saw that Kagome was waiting for an answer. He did not want her to get involved.

"We will leave them. I don't want to see another houshi or miko for a long time."

Kagome looked surprised, "Really how come?"

Inuyasha smiled. "Well, I guess I could show you some time."

"Hey!" Kagome said as she slapped his arm. "I'm a miko, well sort of. Didn't you want to see me?"

Inuyasha could see her anger rising, he narrowed his eyes in a mocking manner, and said with an air of his usual arrogance that had become so rare.

"Of course you're not a miko." He said slowly, emphasising his words. "You're my _shard detector_, remember." He poked his tongue out, startling the girl, and then proceeded to run knowing full well that that comment was going to get himself killed, or worse.

Kagome had sat there in shock and finally realised the words he just said to her: _Shard detector!_ Was he teasing her…? She smiled evilly, the nerve of him thinking he could say that without consequence. Kagome couldn't remember the last time he had teased her and it had felt strangely good because she had seen for a few seconds a smile on his face. It gave her a warm feeling inside her heart and she wanted more.

Then she frowned, he was not getting away with that comment. She would have her ultimate revenge and she knew his weak spot. He was very vulnerable against the great miko. She giggled, and ran to catch up to him, knowing that he would have slowed down for her.

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"Thankyou so much for the rooms and meals," the old miko said.

"It is my pleasure to serve you Kaede-dono. You are in very good company. However," he began whispering, "that young couple that travel with you, are they newlyweds?"

"Oh no, but they look like it do they not?" Kaede answered also in a good mood.

Both of them spied on the miko and hanyou. The hanyou was giggling uncontrollably and Kaede could see that a trail of tears on his face from laughing too much.

"Alright…al-right, I give up, just…no more…tickling." He said between breaths.

Kagome had to calm down from laughing as well, she never had so much fun in ages and it looked like he hadn't either.

Kohaku and Rin poked their heads out from the slightly opened door. They were both smiling from the commotion.

"Is it safe to come in now Inu-no oji-chan?"

Still smiling from laughing too much and with his hand, gestured the both of them to come for dinner.

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Outside the fine house, the wife of the head villager was apologetically bowing to a houshi and a young woman.

"No, no there is no need to apologise madam. It is quite understandable." He said.

"But still, if the group had not stayed for the night, there would have been room for all of you." The old woman replied. And with that she left to go inside.

Miroku sighed miserably while Sango nudged him along down the road.

"Don't sigh like that houshi-sama. There's nothing wrong with sleeping outside." She said.

"But Sango, it looked so warm and inviting. Plus it sounded as though there was a beautiful woman laughing in there as well."

Shippou piped in. "How would you know if the woman was beautiful by just her laugh, Miroku?"

"Ah…Shippou from my many experiences from the past, have made me an expert. Her voice was melodic, almost as if she were singing. Women with such a beautiful laugh would have to be the most beautiful women of all."

Sango's face darkened and Miroku gulped in fear.

"Well, it was just as well the old woman didn't have a room for the night." She said as she stalked off.

Miroku sighed again, he was really hoping for that nice warm futon and hot bath.

"You know, Miroku, I thought I smelt something odd in there." Shippou said quietly.

This had spiked the houshi's interest. "Really, like what?"

"I thought I smelt a hanyou in there but I'm not sure." The kitsune smelt the air again but he really couldn't catch anything. _That's really strange…_

The houshi thought for a while, he didn't know of many hanyou, except one. But he didn't see the possibility of him being here. He shook his head. "We'll just have to see in the morning won't we Shippou?"

The kitsune nodded his head in agreement and left to follow Sango.

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Like to leave a review? Any comments are appreciated.

Until next time...


	24. Chapter 24

Inuyasha (manga and anime) belong to Takahashi-san

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The Journey Home – Chapter Twenty Four

Kagome could hear a strange rustling sound coming from behind the screen where the hanyou was sleeping. She saw the dim shadow behind the screen as it stood up, wrapping the kimono around him. Her eyes had just adjusted to the darkness and she saw that it was indeed Inuyasha with his face fixed in a frown as he packed his belongings.

"Ar-are we leaving now?" She asked hesitantly not really wanting to get up from the warm futon.

"Yes, I'm sorry. Please get ready, and wake up Rin-chan and Kaede-san."

Kagome watched him as he hurriedly put on his haori and left for the door. She got undressed from her pyjamas and replaced them with jeans, long sleeved shirt and a jacket. Quickly combing her hair she raced outside to join the others, which in her opinion, they did not look too happy with waking up so early.

She looked at her watch.

It was just past midnight.

"Inuyasha-san…," Kohaku said, still drowsy from just waking up, "do we always have to wake up so early every time we sleep in a nice house?"

As much as he wanted to, this was not the time to joke around.

"Did you plan to spend more time with Rin-chan, Kohaku-kun?" The hanyou's voice was stern, although his eyes held a hint of mischief.

The boy's face became bright red at the comment and the conversation stopped, instantly forgotten. Kohaku knew him well enough to know what he meant when Inuyasha spoke in that manner.

With the horses loaded, they noiselessly trotted off into the still darkness of the night hoping they would not draw any attention.

Meanwhile the hanyou stayed for awhile making sure their tracks were not seen, in case anyone would decide to track them down. With everything in order, he swiftly darted from tree to tree to join the others.

They had reached a fair distance outside of the village, a distance where the hanyou felt it was the safest and he urged his horse to gather speed, galloping along the grassy fields and dirt paths, until the village could not be seen.

A few hours later, they all slowed down, making their way east towards Kaede's village.

Inuyasha nudged the girl in front of him, who was beginning to doze off again.

"Kagome," he asked softly, "are you alright?"

Instead of answering, Kagome snuggled into Inuyasha's chest, seeking the warmth from his body. He wasn't sure if the miko was awake or not and decided not to disturb her.

"Can we rest for a bit?" Kaede asked.

It was too early for her liking.

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"They left already!" Sango asked the village elder, in surprise and a hint of disappointment. She couldn't believe it; the mysterious group had suddenly decided to vanish. Sango had heard the news from Miroku and Shippou about some strange presence in the hut but they were not to sure what it was. The kitsune said he thought he smelt something like a hanyou but when he took a proper sniff it only ended up smelling like incense. And Miroku had suggested it might be a youkai of some sort who was using the incense to hide its scent. So many possibilities and yet it did not ease the exterminator's nerves.

The only thing that Sango could come up with was that the youkai had concealed himself as a human, which would probably explain the humanlike smell that Shippou could sniff out.

It had been a while since she had battled with a youkai and she was ready, she had anticipated it all night. Except, no one could be found, and she was sure the wife of the village elder had said there was a group just the other day. Their sudden disappearance without any clues or tracks only roused her suspicions and she didn't like it when things did not go her way. Kirara had tried her best to sniff around, she did have some success but it only ended up with the little neko going around in circles, to which she just gave up and started meowing dejectedly to everyone's surprise.

Whatever this person or creature was, it seemed determined to stay hidden.

"Yes, I think during sometime in the night. But I was asleep, so I'm not to sure." He said apologetically bowing more times than necessary.

Last night before the village elder retired for the night, the strange looking young man told him that if anyone would be asking for him, not to tell them who he was or where he was going because certain people were hunting him down. And he didn't want the whole village destroyed because of him. The village elder had agreed saying he would do everything he could. He didn't want that kind of trouble especially near his fine house. And the strange look the man had given him told him not to disobey.

And this was the reason why he was trying to distract the houshi and youkai exterminator, or at least slow them down. Surely this was what the young man was telling him about, and they did look like youkai exterminator after all.

"Shippou did you find anything?" Miroku asked.

He shook his head. "Nothing, the wind scattered the scents. And I can't find any traces of the people from yesterday."

Miroku turned to the elder. "Do you know what he looks like, and who was he travelling with?"

He saw that the old man thought for a while and then clap his hands together. "Ah! I didn't exactly see his face. You see I am old and my sight is not what it used to be. I remember…him wearing black…black hair…brown eyes or blue or something I'm not sure. He looked like an ordinary houshi to me, just like you, houshi-sama…only much older," he thought harder. "And he had his family with him."

Three pairs of eyes shot to his direction in surprise.

"The houshi has a family?" The youkai exterminator asked with a squeak. She thought spiritual people like houshi and miko would never get married. Of course there was Miroku, but he didn't really count.

"Yes a very lovely wife if I do say so, they were quite the couple. They wouldn't stop laughing, they were so happy. My wife and I figured that they were celebrating their many years of marriage…and their children were lovely." Then he turned to his own wife and clasped her hands. She blushed. "I wonder if they would grow old together like us." Then the both of them started laughing amongst themselves, and Miroku, Sango and Shippou decided it was best if they would leave as they were getting no where with the search.

"You know houshi-sama. I'm getting the feeling that they were making fun of us. In fact every village we came passed, we would ask about this houshi, but we would never have an exact description of him." Sango felt it was much worse than trying to look for Naraku; this person left no scent, no tracks that they could follow. It frustrated her to no end, and she was usually very good at tracking people or youkai down.

"Sango, don't frown please, or you would get wrinkles." The houshi said.

Her eyebrows rose in surprise. "Houshi-sama, how can you say that at a time like this? This person could be very dangerous. Every story about him is different, and we don't have a proper lead to follow him."

"Well I guess we could go and ask around again. We might even accidentally pass by him without even knowing." Miroku said.

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"Are you ready Kagome?"

The girl seemed hesitant with her response, she hadn't really practiced at all since she came back to Sengoku jidai and she wasn't about to humiliate herself in front of the hanyou because of her lack of skill. She could see that his face was set in a frown, an expression she hadn't seen in a long time. From the many years that she had known him, she knew he was a serious fighter and he was one of those people who did not like it when mistakes were made.

"Um…I think so, but I'm a little out of practice." Kagome answered feeling more nervous than when she had first started.

He smiled, bringing a hand to steady hers. He had to relax a bit as well. But those people had stayed too close for comfort and they had to move quickly to get out, to avoid any mishaps.

No one was to know he existed.

Or he would have to get rid of them.

However, when Kagome had asked him if she could practice with her bow and arrows, Inuyasha had been somewhat surprised. That initial surprise made him concerned, concerned that someone like Kagome, who already was naturally skilled with such powers, might make his situation a tad worse than he already intended. Big flashes of light in the sky _always _attracted somebody, somebody who he did not want to meet.

And yet when it came down to it, he would do everything he could to help her, after all Inuyasha felt he had owed it to her, because she was…

The hanyou said more gently towards her, "Don't worry no one really forgets how to use a weapon. You just need more practice." Those jewel fragments would have to wait.

_That's easy for you to say, _Kagome thought, but she smiled nevertheless.

She got ready to aim her arrow with the crafted bow, raised it to eye level and waited for the command.

Inuyasha saw that she was ready.

In the distance stood Kohaku fitted in his taijiya clothes. In his hands he held a small clump of clay and was tossing it lightly into the air waiting for the hanyou's signal. He saw that Inuyasha had raised his arm and Kohaku got ready to aim.

"Go!"

The boy threw the lump of clay as far as he could and waited for the results. Kagome pulled back on the string that was holding the arrow and quickly released it, nervously hoping that it would hit its mark. A few seconds passed, and then there was a great explosion of pink light as the arrow found its mark on the clay ball. It took a few moments before the light had cleared and everyone blinked opened their eyes.

"That was amazing Kagome-sama" Rin chirped and the others agreed.

Kagome let out a breath she didn't know she was holding, finally after two hours; she was able to hit her target, complete with bursts of explosions as well. She never knew how hard she had to concentrate to just summon her spiritual powers and she had felt a bit exhausted after the ordeal. It had been so long since she had to actually fight, but she was not the type to give in. She looked towards the hanyou and she saw he had a faintly worried expression.

"It's not good enough?" She asked hesitantly.

"What…?" He asked in confusion. Inuyasha was not concerned about her not being capable enough with the bow and arrow, she was quite good. However it had been obvious that not using her powers for such a long time had made her rather fatigued when she did.

"Kagome," he began, "try not to use too much of your spiritual powers at once, it can make you very tired."

"I'm sorry; it's just been a long time for me." She said regretfully.

"It's alright," Inuyasha answered, giving her a reassuring squeeze on her shoulder. "You just have to relax and try not to concentrate too hard."

It seemed that Inuyasha had a lot of experience with controlling of spiritual powers and Kagome was beginning to have a funny feeling that he actually had these sorts of divine skills. It also made her wonder if he would be affected in a negative way, and the fact that he was a half youkai made her slightly anxious that having such power might one day be harmful for him.

"Can you use spiritual powers Inuyasha?" She asked. "Does it hurt?"

"Sort of," he answered vaguely not really answering her question from seeing the worried look on her face. And then he added, "That was a good shot, you are getting good control with the arrow."

He then seemed to smirk and his eyes held sudden amusement which made Kagome shiver in slight fear. It was the same look that he had when they first met again, cold and calculating. "I wonder if anyone else saw that." He looked upwards and saw the remains of pink light slowly disappearing in the sky. They would have to move again.

Kagome saw the residual light that remained of the purification. The light had been brighter than she really had hoped for and from the hanyou's comment; she couldn't help worrying about it as well. That kind of explosion would cause unwanted attention, it was a big explosion and anyone would be drawn to it. She could have unintentionally made them a bigger target.

Her thoughts sank.

Maybe she was creating more trouble for the hanyou by just travelling with him. After all, any random youkai or human would find her so convenient to take as hostage and use her as ransom for the jewel. It had happened many times before. She never wanted to be any trouble to him and she was doing just that right now.

She didn't really know why she felt the way she did, but right now, she felt so useless. She even had to ask Inuyasha to help her use the stupid arrow for the stupid bow to use her stupid powers.

_He doesn't really need me, does he?_

The practice had probably made her tired and she felt prickling from her eyes to prove it. She needed to think of something else; something involving chocolate of some sort to make her feel better and perhaps some sleep would be nice as well.

"Kagome are you alright? You were daydreaming." The hanyou asked as he poked her on her shoulder, which brought her out of her thoughts.

She shook her head and smile brightly. Though, Inuyasha's sharp eyes had seen her eyes beginning to water and he felt something familiar…

A very familiar feeling…like panic…

He nearly did, when he saw the smallest of tears that had escaped from her eye.

"Let's break up for lunch." She said in a cheery voice and she ran to her back pack to retrieve packs of instant ramen.

Inuyasha frowned a bit and decided to drop the subject for now.

_Is she upset because of me?_ Of course, that was not exactly what Kagome was feeling right now.

Kagome yawned feeling exhausted, not noticing that the hanyou was looking worriedly behind her back.

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Like to leave a review? Any comments are appreciated.

Until next time...


	25. Chapter 25

Inuyasha (manga and anime) belong to Takahashi-san

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The Journey Home – Chapter Twenty Five

_She is too quiet,_ he thought as they continued on their journey. _Have I said something wrong? _Inuyasha felt miserable, an emotion that he had not felt for a long time and he did not like it one bit. He did not mean to make her practice if she had not wanted to. He just thought she would feel better if she was prepared, and besides she did ask him. Now he was regretting it after seeing her tears, which he did not know they were actually from exhaustion and not because she was upset.

A frown began to appear on his face as he hastily began preparing an apology.

Kagome could see that the hanyou was upset about something. _Probably me,_ she thought. She couldn't help but think that she was such a nuisance to him that he would begin to become frustrated. He didn't seem too thrilled about letting her practice and he kept looking around him occasionally as if someone was about to jump on him. Inuyasha probably didn't even need her as his _shard detector_ as he appeared to already know the location of jewels shards even before she had come back to Sengoku jidai.

Kagome sighed, feeling that her legs were starting to drag and she felt heavier than usual. These thoughts were making her miserable and she wanted to stop them, it was no use being sad.

She saw a convenient place to talk with Inuyasha to ask for his forgiveness for being such an annoyance to him. With a swift motion with her arm, she made a grab for Inuyasha's ponytail and with an expert flick of her wrist she dragged him along behind her.

The hanyou was so startled that he had to comply with her demand, realising then that having his hair up was a very bad idea. But he was relieved when she did not go for the ears. _I'm in for it now._

Inuyasha gulped.

Rin and Kohaku looked to Kaede in surprise and then at the miko as she pulled the hanyou along disappearing into the forest.

"Will Inu-no oji-chan be alright? She looked so upset." Rin asked.

Kaede responded with an amused shake of her head. "I'm not to sure children. Kagome's moods are very unpredictable sometimes."

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The hanyou and miko stood apart from each other, not daring to look at the other person in the eye. With both of them alone, they suddenly realised that they found it difficult to start a conversation, both fearing each other's wrath.

Kagome fiddled with her fingers.

Inuyasha fiddled with his hair.

One of them snapped.

"I'm sorry."

The other person looked up. _He looks so guilty._

"I shouldn't have forced you to practice when you obviously were not ready." Inuyasha almost shouted as he darted his eyes away from her not wanting to say anything else. "I know you were not too happy about it."

Kagome experienced a sudden blank from the hanyou's confession, not knowing why _he_ was apologising to her. She started to stutter, confusing the hanyou more.

"No," she finally said as she shook her head.

"No?" _She won't forgive me?_

"I-I—uh—mean, it's not like that Inuyasha!" Then she added more quietly, almost shamefully. "I'm sorry for being such a bother to you. I just feel so useless now and I'm not a good fighter or anything. I might be putting you in more danger; with all the jewel business…you don't really need me."

A silence fell on them.

An uncomfortable silence…

Inuyasha stared wide-eyed at the miko who was looking down towards her feet refusing to say anymore.

The silence dragged on, causing the hanyou's irritation to grow. _She did not just say that?_

Never before in his entire life had he felt so…so…angry.

The irritation grew—but he suppressed it, he should not get angry, he would not get angry.

He clenched and unclenched his fists in an attempt to calm himself.

And the anger stopped completely.

When Inuyasha didn't reply, Kagome's anxiety grew until she could not handle the silence any longer, so she decided to leave. Bringing up her courage, she was about to tell the hanyou not to worry about her and her silly ideas, when suddenly her hand was being held by two larger ones.

The hanyou kept his head down not wanting to portray any emotions that might give away what he was thinking. And right now, he felt his tongue would say something completely opposite to what he was thinking.

Kagome felt the slight warmth from his large hands as he held them. Her heart was gradually beating faster as he still had not said a word and the fear grew as the seconds seemed to last for hours. After a while however, she shivered as she felt him touching her fingertips tentatively and she could see that his own hand was shaking a little. Kagome's heart skipped a few beats as she saw his fingers easily slide together interlocking with hers. Hearing a faint mumble, Kagome leaned closer towards the hanyou to hear him better.

"What did you say?" She asked softly.

Kagome did not know that Inuyasha had begun to blush from her closeness and he had to take a deep breath before mumbling a little louder, "Who says that you're useless?" He did not dare look up towards her because he felt his face was burning up again.

The miko's eyes widened at this point not believing what she had just heard, but at the same time wanting to believe it was real. However it was difficult to see what he was thinking when he wouldn't even show her.

She wanted to see his face, to see his beautiful golden eyes that once told her the many mysteries about him. Kagome didn't want to see his vacant stare every time she spoke to him; it had been just like her dreams, that haunting expression that made her on occasion…fear him. It was true that he had changed and she could not have stopped that. Nevertheless with the time she spent with him, she saw glimpses, even though tiny ones, Kagome saw _him_, her shy, silly hanyou.

Inuyasha almost sighed in relief when he found that the young woman would not move away from him. He felt the warmth from her hand and he felt his soul lighten by it. Those years alone made him feel nothing, as if nothing around him existed, he lived and thrived in darkness. Even at times when Sesshoumaru would 'politely' ask him to look after Rin for a while, and she did lift up his spirits a little, yet it did not last very long because then she would have to leave again, and he would go back to whatever he was like before.

Now with Kagome here standing next to him, everything seemed to have a more vibrant colour around them, food and drink tasted better, and the objects and people did not smell like blood or death anymore. She was here, she was real, not like a dream that he feared that she would be.

With shaky hands he brought Kagome's hand to cover the place where his heart was. His voice was almost a whisper but the miko could hear him very clearly.

"I need you, isn't that enough?"

Kagome could only stare at where her hand was placed, she could feel his heartbeat that seemed to beat just as hurriedly as her own and she was left speechless by his words. It was only on a very rare occurrence that the miko would hear such words and it never ceased to make her heart flutter.

She smiled, bringing his chin up so that she could look directly towards his face. Their eyes met, caught into each others gaze, falling under a dreamlike spell until they were unable to get out. Kagome could see the blush painted on his cheeks and she felt the heat build up on her own face. With her free hand she brought it up to touch his face. She saw that a tiny smile was beginning to form and she leaned forward so her cheek was touching against his. His skin felt warm, much warmer than the last time she had touched it.

She giggled a little and whispered so only he could hear. "They're watching you know."

"I know," he whispered back into her ear causing a tickling sensation. "If that boy says anything…"

The miko's smile grew, a mischievous grin that the hanyou could not see, but somehow he knew what she was thinking. Or so he hoped.

She laughed a little, "Well…we better give them something to talk about."

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"What did she say Kohaku?" Rin whispered to the boy who crouched beside her.

"I don't know, but they're awfully close, do you think they're going to…you know," Kohaku leaned closer to get a better view, "they're so stubborn…"

Rin nodded her head and then she saw something that caused her to cover Kohaku's mouth to prevent him from saying anything. He was about to protest, when he saw it as well…

Kagome was leaning towards the hanyou, her expression was hard to read but it looked like she was going to kiss him. While Inuyasha's face clearly showed that he was stunned as he began to move his head back from the miko, with a funny sort of smile on his face.

Kohaku and Rin leaned closer.

Kagome leaned closer towards the hanyou.

Inuyasha feared that he might fall over from leaning back too far.

Kagome brought her hands up.

They were so close…and getting closer.

Rin and Kohaku were holding their breath and keeping their eyes wide as they possibly could…

…To find that two large sleeves had suddenly blocked their view, turning everything into darkness, preventing them to see whatever they were hoping to see.

They struggled.

They squirmed.

But Kaede's grip was stronger. "This is not for children's eyes." She hissed.

* * *

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Kagome would have smirked if she had wanted to for tricking them, but she held it in. Instead she wrapped her arms around Inuyasha embracing him as much as she could. Closing her eyes for a while she relished in the warmth of his body and she sighed.

The hanyou however stood frozen as the miko hugged him ever so gently, with as much tenderness that he ever felt in his entire life, that instead of feeling happiness that he should have, he felt…anxious— no, that was not the word. He felt stuck and found himself unable to come up with an appropriate response. He gasped in surprise as he could feel Kagome's hands move to find a more comfortable position on his back and she laid her head on his shoulder and once again she sighed happily.

Kagome was so tired and the most comfortable place she could find was on the hanyou's shoulder and she closed her eyes again.

Inuyasha dared to bring his arms around her, thinking that she wanted her embrace returned. He could smell the delicate perfume that was hers alone as he brought his forehead to touch hers.

Right now, it was them alone. Hanyou and miko, two people who could find solace in each others arms. And that was all they needed.

Inuyasha sighed as he too closed his eyes. Then opened them slowly to see that it was indeed Kagome, the strangest person he had ever met. Looking closer, he saw the smoothness of her face, the way the light played on her features and the way she was slowly breathing in and out.

Inuyasha frowned slightly, hoping it was not what he just saw. "Kagome?" he asked softly.

He heard someone snoring softly, tickling his neck with each breath of air. He blinked a few times, unsure if he really heard what he really heard.

"Kagome…," he said again, fearing he would break the quiet moment.

No answer, only a loud snort could be heard coming from the girl. Then she seemed to fall back asleep again.

_She's asleep! How did I know that this was going to happen?_

This time, he did not resist the urge to roll his eyes as he picked up the sleeping girl who snuggled in for a better position, still smiling.

Inuyasha felt himself grinning as well, as he strolled out towards the path where the others were supposed to be waiting.

* * *

Until next time... 


	26. Chapter 26

Inuyasha (manga and anime) belong to Takahashi-san

* * *

The Journey Home – Chapter Twenty Six

"Are you sure you haven't heard from the mysterious houshi? I've heard stories about him _everywhere_."

Kouga's eyes narrowed down towards Ginta and Hakkaku, his posture was daunting, creating the impression that told anyone not to mess around with him.

And no one would dare to mess around with him.

The two wolves did not say a word.

"I think you are lying to me." The ookami leader hissed, restraining himself from lashing out at them.

"Kouga, we are not ones to lie, especially to you." They stood their ground, but wondered how long they would be brave enough to withstand Kouga's ever climbing temper.

His blue eyes were piercing, looking for any traces of a lie and he attempted to make them as uncomfortable as possible in hopes they would just blurt it out. The two wolves hid it very well, and yet somehow he knew they were trying to hide something, as to what it was he didn't know.

For weeks he had tried to find his mate, Kagome again, but somehow she had become elusive. It was like she was avoiding him and Ginta and Hakkaku were trying to hide her presence. Her scent was becoming harder to find and her tracks were even harder to trace. Kouga had always thought that the miko would always be willing to see him and he had always been willing to wait for her. But now, she just…disappeared.

Just like last time.

He growled maliciously, showing his glistening canine fangs towards the two wolves and Kouga could see that they were beginning to drip with sweat under his pressure. He smirked inwardly, he would give them time.

After all, he was patient.

Kouga's jewel shards began glowing and he felt its immense power as he ran at great speeds along the mountain ranges. Ever since he had first collected the piece of the jewel, he knew he needed to gather the whole Shikon no Tama. Kouga had learnt it a long time ago, about the story of the Shikon no Tama, how it could grant the owner absolute power. He also knew the story of the guardian of the jewel and her power as a miko. That reason alone he had stayed away.

But now he wasn't sure who had owned the jewel. Everywhere he searched it was always the same: nothing.

It had been Naraku who had most of the jewel and now, there seemed to be no trace of the dark hanyou, and so, Kouga came to the conclusion that he was either in hiding or he was killed.

The latter he highly doubted.

Had Naraku taken the jewel to his death, even that he found impossible, because it had a habit of surviving destruction and turning up in the most strangest of places.

There was another hanyou that was a constant irritation to him.

It was a few seasons ago the last time he had saw the bastard hanyou, with a very large piece of the Shikon no Tama, however he didn't think it was the real thing, as Inuyasha would be too weak to get the jewel on his own. He needed his companions and the lovely Kagome.

And he abandoned them all. He heard that story too. Kouga smirked, so typical of Inuyasha, in the end he had betrayed them all. He was probably with his dead love right now. He should be dead. And he probably was. This caused Kouga to laugh.

He could never compare with him. Kouga was the great leader of the wolves. While Inuyasha thought he was the leader, the others probably just used him out of sympathy. That hanyou was weak and he deserved all the suffering for as long as he lived in this world.

And if he was dead, well, it would be doing everyone a favour.

The ookami ran faster, feeling the power emitting from the jewel. The mountain ranges were a blur of brown shades and then were immediately mixed with green as he ran down a path lined with trees of various sizes and shapes.

He felt a sudden, small pain in his legs, but it was insignificant, and he kept running, twisting and turning with ease.

Now and then, he would feel small pricks of pain, in the same instant it would be gone, and it pissed him off to no end. Although the pain was hardly anything when compared with the sudden immobilisation he would get when it was controlled by 'Midoriko's will'. It was those times when he was fighting with Naraku, that at the most inconvenient time he found himself engulfed with a spiritual power that suffocated him, which resulted with him being unable to move and he would become an easy target for his shards of the jewel. He snorted, as if he would let someone like her control him.

He still didn't understand why a dead spirit would want the Shikon no Tama. It belonged to him and only him.

"Kouga, wait for us!" Ginta and Hakkaku cried out, trying in vain to catch up to their leader.

He didn't listen, as he was trying to catch a whiff of the lovely miko and he would never stop until he found her.

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It was nightfall, when Kouga decided that they should rest, while the other pack members were too exhausted to argue. It was a long day without any success. Everyone turned to see that Kouga was more agitated than ever, and kept harassing the other wolves for any word of the mysterious houshi. The story was always the same: They could never find him. And his agitation grew.

Kouga had hoped that by using the power of the Shikon no Tama he might be able to lure him out as it was also told that the houshi would always try to kill anyone who had a piece of the jewel.

But that task was proving to be difficult as well. It was obvious that he did not want to be found out and had no plans for coming to him personally.

Kouga clenched his fist in anger. He knew that this person will remain hidden if he wanted to. It had become apparent to Kouga that this houshi person was sneaky and would strike only when it was necessary. This houshi was willing to wait. But Kouga didn't want to wait that long just so he could obtain what was rightfully his.

He needed to find Kagome, yes, she would help him find this person and the great Kouga would kill him just for the fun of it.

He hated when people pissed him off.

The other wolves watched on as their leader continued to dig a trench with his furious pacing.

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Kai, one of the members of the ookami pack, could hear soft footsteps trekking through the forest. He sniffed for their scents, nothing that was familiar, he sniffed again and he scrunched his nose in disgust.

Humans, he figured.

There were also whispers, which were sounding like a group of men, and it didn't sound like they would be friendly. His sensitive ears picked up the voices, by their manner; he would probably guess them as a group of houshi. This was not good.

"Any news of him?" they whispered.

"Yes I've heard he was heading east with a group of women and a young boy."

"That is interesting. He thinks he can hide behind women. He must be getting weaker."

The voices were getting faint as the houshi passed by the wolves as they slept in the distance.

Kai sighed in relief, those houshi sounded dangerous and they would likely cause havoc for the hanyou who was masquerading as a houshi. The reason he knew this was because Kai himself had known the hanyou personally from the days when he was younger.

He was young when he and his brother Shinta had joined Kouga's group when his previous pack was eliminated by a vicious badger youkai that was influenced by the Shikon no Tama. His whole Northern pack was slaughtered for the sake of the jewel. Kai had wanted revenge, however, another youkai he remembered as Byakuya had manipulated him into trying to obtain Kouga's shards in exchange for Shinta's life. It was an elaborate trap involving many people and bloodshed but he was thankful that his brother's life was saved and so many people had tried to help him, especially Kouga and Inuyasha.

That was a long time ago and he didn't exactly know how he had become one of Inuyasha's spies, nevertheless he found it fun and he was not the type of youkai who would just hate a hanyou, and Inuyasha had been a nice enough person. Unlike Kouga who apparently made it his purpose in life to murder the inu-hanyou.

It was partly his job to keep them separated until the hanyou found it the right time to take Kouga's shards, and that would be soon.

Slowly standing up and without another word or sound, Kai, crept out of the forest to begin his search.

Unfortunately, Kouga had eyed the boy with light blue hair in the distance in suspicion; he had also heard the whispers of the houshi as well. His eyes narrowed and wondered what they were up to.

He would find out soon enough.

* * *

Author's notes

Ookami - wolf

And yes, Kai and Byakuya are real characters from Takahashi's manga.

Until next time...


	27. Chapter 27

Inuyasha (manga and anime) belong to Takahashi-san

* * *

The Journey Home – Chapter Twenty Seven

Sango, Miroku and Shippou arrived at the youkai-taijiya village in bitter dissatisfaction after days and days of searching. They did not manage to track down the houshi or a supposed group of women. Every village they went by and every person they asked, all had a slightly different description of the houshi and it was beginning to get on their nerves. And even though Miroku had some shards of the jewel, it seemed that the houshi did not bother and try to look for them, which they found odd. Surely anyone who wanted the jewel would come searching for more.

In the end, they were sadly disappointed that they did not have a chance to meet him.

However if they ever did meet him, would he be a friend or a foe? That was also difficult to tell.

That was what Sango hated most about the rumours. Half of the stories would refer to him as a very spiritual person who commanded the spirits of all living things. And the other half, people would depict him as the devil himself, slaughtering those who would dare to attack him.

Deciding which description was true was very tricky, not to mention frustrating. Whatever or whoever this person was, was using the villagers to his advantage and that was never a good thing.

But would that make him a bad person just because he wanted to remain hidden?

Miroku had explained that both could be true, that this person could be good and evil, just like the Shikon no Tama, to which had made Sango wonder a lot more.

She turned her head slightly to look at the houshi, who seemed to be lost in his thoughts. His faraway gaze occurred frequently, and somehow it had worried her. Miroku wasn't the happy pervert that she was used to seeing. Every village they would pass by, he would only glance at the women and then would keep walking. Even when they were alone, it would appear that he would get close, but Miroku wouldn't even attempt to touch her. She wasn't sure if she should be happy or disappointed. Sango's feelings for Miroku always gave her a headache, but now she felt as if they were pushing themselves away.

It had all started with the betrayal. She had thought Inuyasha, the hanyou had loved Kagome. Obviously she was mistaken and so was everyone else.

It had to be one of the most traumatic experiences that any of them had ever seen. They saw him, all three of them saw the hanyou pulling the massive tree from the ground and violently ramming it into the well. The well had cracked under the pressure of the tree making it impossible for anyone to travel back and forth.

They tried to stop him and get him to explain.

However when they saw his face, he was smiling…

…A cruel, almost sadistic smile.

The nerve of him, what the hell was he thinking? After everything the miko from the future did for him, the hanyou decided to pull off that stunt.

He probably did it for Kikyou.

And from that day onward she had hated that half-breed, for tricking Kagome and sending her away. She was like a sister to her, they were the best of friends, and Sango had become very protective of the younger girl.

She had to protect Kagome…from the certain hanyou that would constantly break her heart.

Sometimes she would console with the younger girl, saying that the hanyou would be no good for her if he was still attached, which Kagome always fell quiet afterwards and would end up going home. Much to the half-breed's displeasure, not that Sango cared. Women in Sengoku jidai had to be tough or they would regret it for the rest of their lives.

"Sango, what's wrong?" Miroku asked with worry which startled the youkai slayer out of her thoughts. She blushed furiously and brushed his worry aside, this was not the time to think about the attractive houshi.

And his wandering hand. Sango waited for the impact, but nothing came. She only saw that Miroku had walked into the hut with Shippou along side him. _What's wrong with me? How come I feel so empty?_

Sango decided to walk around what was left of her village. Most of the huts remained in pretty good condition, but it was empty, lifeless.

She remembered the times when the village was filled with people, all youkai exterminators, and a very proud village. Respected by all humans and hated by all youkai. And she felt it as her duty to carry on the tradition by becoming the few select women to become an exterminator; she was honoured to be given that chance.

That was until Naraku came. He was such a menace, always hiding and causing havoc from afar. Sango supposed that was his style, very cowardly though, she thought. He had the power of a youkai, but cowardliness and cunning of a man. And she hated that very much.

However when all word of Naraku had stopped, so suddenly, he had seemed to have just vanished. Miroku and Sango had always been confused about Naraku's disappearance. Everywhere they travelled, it was always the same. Everything just seemed normal and peaceful like there was never the existence of the dark hanyou.

But Sango had to be alert, always.

Her face saddened. Her younger brother Kohaku had vanished as well, about the same time Naraku had gone. She hoped that he was alright. She hoped he was still alive.

Last time she saw him, Kohaku was travelling with Kikyou. Somehow Sango felt a bit surprised that he would choose to follow Kikyou instead of going with her. But it was Kohaku's choice after all and she couldn't stop him.

Maybe that half-breed was travelling with Kikyou right now as well, happy to follow her like a stupid puppy.

Well, at least he didn't have to worry about Kagome any longer. Sango was sure that the young girl would find a more suitable boy for her. Someone who was loyal and trustworthy, he would always listen, even if he didn't agree. Besides, the woman was always right, right?

She stopped, and her eyes had widened. How did she end up thinking like this? Never in her life had she been so angry, but his betrayal had hurt her deeply as it hurt everyone around her and if he was ever around she would get her revenge.

_Manipulated…_

Sango shook her thoughts out of her head. No, she was not being manipulated, she would not let it. She had seen the half-breed and what she saw was the truth in her eyes, and nothing more. Yes, she had tried to be reasonable, thinking it was a foul trick. But seeing that smile, made her sick.

That bastard hanyou, she hoped she would never have to see his disgusting face ever again.

_But he looked so confused when you yelled at him._

He put up a good act.

_You drove him away._

Good riddance.

_What about Kagome? What would she say?_

Use that spell on him, over and over again.

_What if Inuyasha was telling the truth?_

"Sango what's wrong?" Shippou asked with worry in his voice.

No. He always lies.

* * *

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A young houshi was running hurriedly towards the exterminator's village. It had taken him days to get there and he huffed in relief when he finally saw the village in the horizon.

He was chosen by the other houshi to deliver an important message, reason being that he was the youngest, from a group of five middle aged houshi. And he did not want to fail them, for this message was very important.

It involved a certain youkai.

He had hoped that the exterminators in the village would be willing to help them, because for years they had tried to get rid of him with no success. The youkai had always escaped by using a strange spiritual power that none of them had seen before, and most people had become too frightened to cross paths with him. The young houshi always had wondered about the strange youkai, where he had come from, and how he was able to possess the Shikon no Tama.

It was on rare occasions that their group would come across the youkai with his piercing golden eyes. The youkai would always have an eerie smirk on his face, like he was amused about something, but it would always send shivers down the young houshi's spine. Then the youkai would speak, always making the feeling a lot worse, as his tone was chilling, soft and controlled.

And the youkai would always ask the same question: _"What do you desire?"_

The young houshi shuddered at the thought. Many spiritual people were maddened by the youkai's question and attempted to take the jewel from him. But after seeing a hand nearly burnt off when one of the houshi had tried to take the jewel, had made the young man thankful that he was a scaredy-cat. His mother had taught him not to steal what was not his own, especially objects that were owned by youkai with strange cat-like eyes and a knowing smile.

Yes, he'd rather be scared than end up dead.

The village boundaries became closer as he kept running without pausing for a breath.

He was glad he was not the one to hold the responsibility for the task of purifying the youkai, he was quite happy being the messages-boy, let the others deal with him.

As he ran closer to the huge gates that provided entry to the village, the houshi spied a very strange human standing in front of the gate. He skidded to a stop and realised that this human was in fact a youkai. The youkai appeared young, like a young adolescent boy with red hair tied up with a green ribbon. His most obvious feature was a long bushy tail that seemed to have life of its own, playfully swishing from side to side.

His youthful, if somewhat mischievous green eyes stared curiously at him.

"I'm Shippou. Can I help you?"

The young man hesitated for a moment. _Should I be really asking for their help? _He wasn't sure what the exterminator's would do if they did capture this particular youkai that he was looking for.

Would they kill him? Or would they retrain him to become what this boy-like creature was, a pet or servant. He really detested killing for it always brought misfortune and he found it unlikely that it was possible to retrain anyone like a youkai like him.

But he needed as much help as he could get, and youkai exterminators were always the best people for the job.

"Um…yes. I would like some assistance with a rather…difficult youkai."

The youkai called Shippou nodded his head and led him into the village.

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"A youkai you say?" Miroku asked. All three sat in front of the young man, looking at him with curiosity.

He had introduced himself as Hisato, bowed politely and proceeded to tell a little history about himself. After a while of idle less chatter, he decided to reach the serious topic concerning the youkai.

"I'm sure he is a youkai, his eyes gave me chills down my spine. Although the way he fights, is unlike any common youkai would fight. He is very skilled and he doesn't hesitate to kill. My fellow companions want this youkai dead, because he has the Shikon no Tama."

"What do you mean by that?" Sango asked, more than surprised by this revelation, "We heard that he was a houshi."

Hisato nodded, "I know, he can disguise himself in different forms and manipulate the people around him. However if anyone has a piece of that jewel, he would kill them, without asking.

"It's really quite frightful, seeing him in action. Most miko or my fellow houshi are scared of him." Hisato paused for a moment to see what kind of response he would get.

The young woman with her hair tied down looked towards him, her face frowning.

"Are you sure he is a youkai?" She asked and Hisato nodded his head.

"But this youkai, you said he is very skilled at fighting. May I ask how he fights?" Miroku asked.

"Well…from what I heard he is able to fight as a samurai, but can also use ofuda like a houshi or miko, which we have found very strange. Mostly youkai would die if they ever tried to use any kind of spiritual power.

"Please, you have to help us," Hisato continued almost desperately, "he is an evil creature who must be destroyed. He can't have the Shikon no Tama."

Miroku looked at Sango with a questioning eye; it was up to her after all.

"It's alright, we will help you. Just tell us where this youkai went."

"Yes, of course…it is definite that the youkai would be travelling east. It was told that a very old miko has a piece of the jewel." Hisato then bowed low to the ground. "Thankyou Sango-dono, you don't know how much it means to us." He bowed once again and got up to leave.

"Won't you stay Hisato-dono? We can prepare a meal and bed for you."

"Thankyou houshi-dono, I would appreciate that very much."

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When Miroku and Sango were alone, they were discussing the previous topic, the youkai and the Shikon no Tama.

"This is something new. Finally we know what he is, a youkai" Sango said quietly, stroking the soft fur of Kirara.

"Yes, although Hisato-dono could be wrong as well. Who knows what we could be dealing with? This person can fight well and use ofuda." He then sighed wistfully, "I wish I had my kazaana with me."

"Houshi-sama, don't think things like that! I'm glad it's gone."

Miroku smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry Sango, sometimes I am forgetful." Then he added. "Shall we travel to the east tomorrow?"

Sango nodded her head in agreement, and then suddenly she had a terrible thought.

"Didn't Hisato-san say an old miko who had a piece of the jewel?"

Miroku nodded, then his eyes widened at the sudden realisation. "And we're travelling east tomorrow.

They both knew what that meant, it was the only possibility.

That youkai was travelling east towards Kaede's village.

* * *

Author's notes -

kazaana - black hole

o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Like to leave a review? Any comments are appreciated.

Until next time...


	28. Chapter 28

Inuyasha (manga and anime) belong to Takahashi-san

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The Journey Home – Chapter Twenty Eight

A large crowd stood around a young woman in strange clothing and a boy in a youkai exterminator's outfit. Each person held a small fan, rapidly fanning the foul smelling smoke into a medium sized hut. While a middle aged couple waited in anticipation, praying that their home would be safe soon and that their son would no longer be cursed.

It had been about two or three days ago when he suddenly collapsed after he had heard news of his engagement to a local village girl.

They never knew that their wonderful news would be that shocking.

But after several hours of nervous amusement, it was natural that they began to panic and panic they did. And of course the parents of the girl to be married were naturally offended that the man would find it so amusing to collapse in a horrid way after he had been told the news. Their daughter was not _that _ugly.

It was fortunate though that the young miko and youkai exterminator had passed by through the village that prevented an all out war between the families. The distraction caused by the miko's strange kimono had caused the anger to die away replaced by curiosity. And next to strange woman stood an equally strange man who said that someone in the village had been cursed and threw a pouch of something into the hut. A few moments later a foul smelling smoke oozed out of the cracks of the hut, causing the man to quickly cover his nose.

And now most of the villagers stood outside the hut waiting in excitement and increasing anxiety.

"Is it nearly ready yet Kohaku-kun?" Kagome asked behind her mask.

The boy nodded, readied his kusari-gama, and ran quickly in towards the hut with Kagome following close behind. They entered the house cautiously, scanning the room for any suspicious activity.

Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Except for the smell and the young miko felt giddy as the smoke tried to reach her nostrils.

Kagome felt the power of the Shikon fragment grow stronger as they continued to walk towards the sliding door. Kohaku slid the door gently to peer into the room.

There lay a young man under the futon covers. His complexion was very pale, his face relaxed and oblivious to his surroundings. He appeared to be dead and the colour of his face was not a good sign. Creeping closer towards the unconscious man, Kagome sighed in relief when she saw the slight up and down movement of his chest from under the covers.

Scanning the body of the man, Kagome sensed the soft dark glow from the jewel coming from under the covers.

"There I see it!" She said as she crept towards the man.

The futon covers began to move and Kagome could hear a sinister hissing noise coming from the same spot. The miko narrowed her eyes in determination, threw back the covers and immediately she could feel a surge of jyaki emanating from the man.

"Come out if you don't want to be hurt!"

The hissing only grew louder, added with a cruel laugh.

"As if you can hurt _me_ human, I have the power of the Shikon no Tama!" It sneered, as the spirit raised itself from the body. It was a weasel-like youkai, although its fur was darkened by the energies flowing from the jewel, and its fangs dripped with a tainted purple liquid.

It wasn't a very pleasant sight. Kagome was thankful that Inuyasha had used that powder to immobilise the youkai, which was trying to escape from the exterminators. It lashed out, narrowly missing the people as they jumped out of its way.

Kohaku raised his kusari-gama and struck it at the weasel, it screamed in agony as its flesh was sliced by cold steel, and the youkai disintegrated into dust.

In the pile of ashes lay a single shard of the jewel, still glowing darkly. Kagome picked it up and examined it for a while. She could feel the purifying energy being transferred to the tiny jewel, and it began to glow a beautiful rose colour.

Kagome smiled, it had never had such radiance before, even when she held the whole jewel for the first time. It felt warm, like it was alive.

Maybe Inuyasha had something to do with it.

She could hear groaning; she looked down and saw that the man was starting to wake up.

"Wha…what happened?"

At that moment the parents came rushing in, tears of joy running down their cheeks, and nearly suffocating the boy with their hugs.

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The next night was celebrated by the whole village as the young man and the village woman were married. It promised to be a celebration that would last for days, not that anyone was complaining.

Kagome, Kohaku and Rin sat around a huge fire built for the occasion, with dancers skilfully twisting and turning in a joyful dance in time with an energetic beating of drums and woodwind instruments.

The now married woman walked up to the group and bowed to them, "Thankyou so much for bringing back my husband."

"It's no trouble at all." Kagome replied, standing up and bowing also.

"I hope your friend is alright."

Kagome knew that the woman was referring to the hanyou who had decided to stay away from the village for a while. It wasn't because he wasn't allowed. It was because the smell of the powder was too strong for him, that he almost fainted when the powder was released and had to run out to escape the stench. She hoped that he wasn't feeling too sick to enjoy the festivities.

Kagome walked out and went to search for Inuyasha.

She found him just outside of the village lying on the grass and appeared to be staring at the stars. Kagome sat next to him and looked up as well.

"You should go back and enjoy the celebration Kagome."

Kagome saw that he had his eyes closed.

"Does your head still hurt Inuyasha?"

"Kami…I can smell it from here." He groaned and turned to his side. "I feel like I drunk too much sake."

"Inuyasha, you don't drink sake." Kagome giggled and lay down next to him. "That was some stink bomb."

"Keh," he replied weakly, "leave me alone…" Feeling slightly warmer by her presence, he sighed happily and closed his eyes again. Why did she have to be so distracting?

They lay there in quiet contentment both enjoying each others company.

Not having a sensitive nose, the miko could smell the fresh grass and a hint of wild flowers. The breeze was cool as it caressed across her face. The sky was painted in darkness, dotted by glistening stars. For a moment she closed her eyes and then opened them again. It was so peaceful, so beautiful. She turned her head to see the back of the hanyou as he lay on his side. His white hair seemed to glow until it was almost silver, almost shimmering against the moonlight.

Yes, right now, things were very beautiful.

To them, the world didn't matter. No jewel, no homework, no fighting. It had been a long time since the couple had experience such inner peace in their lives, they wished it could last forever.

Forever would have to wait.

The breeze picked up suddenly, sending a whirl of scents towards the hanyou's nose, which it began to twitch uncontrollably. He tried in vain to ignore it, but the scent refused to let him go. Inuyasha groaned again and turned over in another attempt to ignore it. He dug his nose into the grass, _it smells like an ookami_.

He felt Kagome begin to stir, the grass crunched with the weight as she got up to investigate. The hanyou felt reluctant to get up, preferring to have his face in the ground, _please, not now…_

Kagome poked him in the shoulder.

"Should we find out what it is? There's a lot of jyaki in the area."

Inuyasha was about to answer, when they heard screaming coming from the village. The couple got into attention and raced towards the village.

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They found the villagers huddled into a corner, while a pack of wolves were snarling at them, while their leader stood in the front. He looked like a teenager, with bluish-white hair and eyes blue as the sky that appeared more intense with the blazes of the fire. At that moment he was glaring at the villagers, hoping to gain some kind of response from them.

"Where is the hanyou?" He shouted with ferocity.

The villagers gasped, backing further towards the corner.

Rin and Kohaku were in the middle of the group as they were nearly squashed by the frightened people. Rin looked desperately around, trying to find Inuyasha. She saw him, standing next to Kagome, and without fear she called out to him.

Everyone paused to look at the girl, then at the hanyou, calmly standing there, waiting. The leader looked at the hanyou, he squinted his eyes to make sure it was Inuyasha and not an illusion.

It was Inuyasha.

"Kai-kun, what are you doing here?" Inuyasha asked.

Kai smiled and ran towards the hanyou. Everyone else stayed frozen in their spot, afraid to move.

"Inuyasha, I'm so glad I found you. I've been looking for you everywhere. Jeez you never stay in the same spot."

"I am sorry. You know how it is these days."

"I suppose so. But anyway I have bad news for you."

* * *

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"So those houshi want to meet me again do they?"

"I'm sorry for bringing you trouble, but if they find out that you still have the Shikon no Tama, they'll kill you."

They both heard a gasp and turned to find Kagome, holding a hand over her mouth, her grey eyes stunned with surprise.

"They can't do that can they?" She asked with fear in her voice.

Inuyasha only smiled at the news, a chilling smile.

"Not only that, I think Kouga's thinking about finding, you know the 'houshi' you. He kept going on about how he was going to get Kagome to help him kill you."

There was a pause and then…

"What?" She said slowly and instead of fear, Kagome's voice had turned dark and menacing, which caused the hanyou and ookami to step back from the fuming girl. Kagome could be so terrifying sometimes, that sometimes Inuyasha would rather face the wrath of Sesshoumaru.

"How dare him!" She clenched her fists in determination and looked towards Inuyasha with intense grey eyes, which startled the hanyou.

"I'll protect you, I promise."

"Ka- Kagome…" He barely whispered. "How e-exactly would you do that?" He asked quietly finding it difficult to look at her.

"I don't know," Kagome shouted, unaware that she was making everyone nervous, "but—I won't let them or him touch you, I'll fry them with my miko powers if I have to."

Kai looked on, from the hanyou to the miko. It was a tense moment and he felt afraid to disturb it.

Kagome's face held determination beyond belief while the hanyou's face held astonishment at hearing her words. Kai began to sweat as he felt that if they continued like this, then Kouga would probably catch up to them.

So he coughed loudly.

Inuyasha and Kagome almost jumped in surprise, they quickly turned their heads, to find that Kai had a rather guilty look on his face.

"S-sorry, but-but you can't stay here."

"Well, we just have to move again." The hanyou sighed then added, "I think they would be disappointed if they found out I was still alive, right Kai-kun?"

Kai smirked and laughed a little, "Well you know how persistent humans can be," then he scrunched his nose in obvious disgust. "And if I stay here any longer, the human stink will get to me, not to mention that Kouga would find out I was here."

It was then Kaede approached them with worry etched on her aged face.

"The watchman spotted a freakish whirlwind travelling to this direction."

"Kouga-kun," Kagome exclaimed. "It's his jewel shards, he's coming very quickly. Do you think we should hide?"

"Hide?" The hanyou asked uncertainly, "I thought you were going to fry him or something."

Kagome blinked and then narrowed her eyes, and Inuyasha could see the almost evil smirk on her face.

"No, I think I should plan something a little more creative for him." Kagome laughed inwardly, yes, that would be funny.

A little confused by the miko's expression, the hanyou decided to ignore it; the woman's mind was too perplexing for him.

Inuyasha had to think quickly, they had to get out safely, but he did not want the villagers involved. It had been obvious that Kouga had followed Kai, but why would the ookami become suspicious now? His eyes narrowed and glanced towards Kagome. It was possible that the ookami had already met with the miko and his possessive streak had come back. The hanyou could not let the ookami know that Kagome was with him or the fact that _he _was carrying the Shikon no Tama.

It was a dangerous mix.

Besides, he did not want to deal with Kouga right now. It was not the right time.

In an instant he had an idea, "Kohaku-kun, get the horses ready."

Inuyasha hoped his plan would work.

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Kouga came at whirlwind speed towards the village. His followers hurriedly tried to keep up with their leader, but without the jewel's power, it was going to be almost impossible.

Not that Kouga would pay any attention to them. His thoughts were somewhere else. _Damn you Kai, what are you up to? _The foolish young ookami had run off, thinking that he could sneak off without being notice. But their leader wasn't that stupid.

Kouga looked back behind his shoulder; Ginta and Hakkaku were trailing behind him. _Those bastards,_ they were hiding something and they were doing a good job in keeping it that way. He would get them soon he thought.

He and his pack had nearly reached the village, when suddenly, a putrid smell whiffed straight up into his nostrils.

Kouga nearly collapsed from the polluted stench, nearly. Instead he quickly backed away to a safe distance while attempting to cover his nose. What was that stench? It smelt like foul incense, but a lot worse.

In the distance, he could make out a familiar shape coming out of the forest. It was Kai, and he looked like he was coughing a great deal.

"Kai, where have you been?" Kouga demanded.

Kai took some deep breaths before beginning to speak.

"I…was looking for a…mate Kouga. And then I smelt something terrible and I couldn't go any…further." Kai hoped that what he said would work. "I thought I might find a nice girl in the village."

Kouga's face brightened completely.

"Kai, you idiot, you shouldn't concern yourself with humans, human women no less. I'll show you how to do it." And with that he dragged a reluctant Kai away towards his pack, completely forgetting the smell.

Until the two wolves were out of sight, Kagome and the others prepared to leave with their horses and supplies. They rode in the darkness of the night, only a sliver of the moon gave them enough light to see, but enough darkness to pass unseen.

Inuyasha lay on his stomach behind Kagome. He was out cold from the smell.

As they rode along, Kagome peered over her shoulder.

_Poor Inuyasha,_ she hoped the smell hadn't been too strong for him.

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Author's notes -

jyaki - miasma

kusari-gama - Kohaku's chain and sickle

ookami - wolf

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Enjoying the story so far?

Until next time...


	29. Chapter 29

Inuyasha (manga and anime) belong to Takahashi-san

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The Journey Home – Chapter Twenty Nine

"Inu-no oji-chan, I see the village!"

Inuyasha walked up to where Rin was, who was jumping up and down from excitement. He wondered how she could get so energetic so quickly. But he should not really complain; she was just too cute to ignore. It was no wonder Sesshoumaru liked to keep her around.

She was pointing in the direction where a village stood, a village that was dotted with huts and further away stood a very large shrine, a village that brought back so many memories.

It was Kaede's village.

The place where he was killed and brought back to life, to what seemed to him happened on the very same day. The same day he had met Kagome and in all honest truth he really did think that she was Kikyou.

That was until she opened her mouth.

All he had remembered was that he _was _killed by Kikyou and then a few moments later, he was alive again and confronted with a girl who had the appearance of the same person who had killed him. And with a girl who gave him no courtesy to explain things and the fact he was still feeling disorientated with just waking up, he reacted the only way he knew how: By being surly and letting everyone know it.

It was when Kaede had told him that he had been under a sealing spell for fifty years and the girl who sat just in front of him was a reincarnation, well; he did not know exactly how to react. Everything had happened too quickly, one moment it was Kikyou and the next moment it was Kagome. To only realise that fact had taken him a while to adjust to, it was not easy, but had his life ever been easy?

Over the many months he had known Kagome, she was…how would he put it…different. Even though she was a human, she was never afraid, even gaining the cheek to argue with him. No one had questioned him back then…they were all too scared, and then suddenly, this girl from no where came into his life.

At first, she was the most annoying and frustrating girl he had ever met. She had been so infuriating, that whenever she went back home, he would always go and follow her, just to annoy her. And even then, she never gave in to the arguing.

He never knew how it had happened, but the more time he spent with her, the more he got to know her and then suddenly…whenever she was gone, something would go as well and he did not like that feeling.

And he would follow her, just to see her smile again.

But it had not always been this way.

It had been years since he had last seen her, and those years he had felt empty. It was like the time he was pinned to the tree and made to experience an eternal sleep.

Except this time…he was not sealed, he was alive, and was conscious to his surroundings. He knew everything, experienced everything, Kagome's disappearance, the friends that had left him, and the mindless wandering that had become part of his life. He was not in blissful sleep, he was made to live through the aftermath, and that fact alone made it almost unbearable.

The fact, that he was truly alone in this horrid world.

Inuyasha sighed and looked at the village again in the distance that was partly bordered by the rice paddies. A bit further he could see the forest, still the same lush greens the last time he had seen it.

It was the same place…

It was the same place where he was banished.

He never thought he would come to this place ever again, ever. And now there he stood watching the village that would only take them until nightfall to reach.

He was banished there…

The same place…the same forest…

Inuyasha took a step back.

"Are you alright Inuyasha?" Kagome asked softly.

Inuyasha was banished…

He was not allowed to come here…ever…

"Inuyasha?" she asked again, beginning to worry when the hanyou wouldn't respond to her. She saw him shaking his head and taking another step back.

"I-I…not," he began, his voice shaking.

Kagome saw him taking another step back and then saw the slight turn of his foot. The miko panicked, afraid that he would suddenly bolt and run away, after all, it was a place that held terrible memories and she almost regretted coming back here.

She could see the fear in his eyes, a look that she had never seen before, a look of a frightened child.

Kagome had to be careful, any sudden movements and he would run.

The hanyou stared wide-eyed but not focussing at any particular object. All he could see was the village, the shrine and the forest.

_I don't want to be here. _He took another step back and was about to run, when he heard a voice, a female voice, and a shape coming closer. He felt his breathing becoming faster and he could feel the sweat forming unto his brow.

_I can't stay here. _Inuyasha saw the girl speaking to him, but he really could not hear anything. Her face had a worried expression and he wondered why she was worried. However, his anger grew as the girl stepped closer towards him with a hand reaching out.

"You dare touch _me, _human?" He asked with a darkened tone, almost threatening. He felt his youki rise as he saw this human as a potential threat but somehow could not attack her. She was not one of them, was she?

Kagome did not dare step back as the hanyou would know she was scared, but her heart refused to listen as it beat faster. Shivers went down her spine as she heard his voice, it was cold and had an almost feral quality to it, much like a voice that so familiar long ago.

It was that time when Inuyasha had let his youkai blood take over him. But this time, there was no evidence of his eyes changing, or the elongation of his claws. She could sense something was different, she couldn't put her finger on it, but she would have guessed that something or someone was trying to possess him.

She reached out to him again and with as much courage as she could muster, she said, "Inuyasha, please, don't be like this. Don't run away from me." She could feel her tears starting to trickle down her face. She wouldn't cry, but seeing him like this, made her heart hurt.

Kagome felt his youki rise in apparent antagonism as he stepped dangerously closer to her, but she stood her ground.

The hanyou made a grab for her chin and forced her to look into his eyes.

He saw the slight fear in them and he smirked, "Who are you to tell me what to do, human?" He spoke delicately, but Kagome could detect the hint of malice in his voice.

"I'm…Kagome, remember?" She smiled kindly towards him and immediately she could see the recognition in his eyes. The grip on her chin slackened and his arms fell to his sides.

"Ka-Kagome?" he whispered afraid that he was seeing things.

"Yes," she replied giving him a warm embrace. "What happened to you?"

Inuyasha could smell the miko's fragrance as he rested his head on her shoulder. "I…don't know. I can't remember. I-I didn't do anything to you did I?"

"No, of course not," she replied, hugging him again, "Are you feeling alright now?"

"Yes," he said faintly, "I suppose so."

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The village was getting nearer now as they continued to walk down a somewhat familiar path. Kagome stayed close to Inuyasha, just in case he decided he did not want to see the faces of the villagers. She knew she had nothing to worry about, but she was more afraid for the hanyou. What would the villagers say after years of not seeing the hanyou's face? Would they hate him?

She squeezed Inuyasha's hand a bit tighter in a comforting gesture. Screw them if they hated him, it was their own fault anyway.

Sunlight was beginning to die down; shadows began to play with the trees, casting elongated shapes along the footpath. Several birds sang loudly to signify it was the end of the day. The evidence of the night began to creep in, showing the first stars in the sky.

As Inuyasha continued to walk down the path, his eyes focused towards the distance, Kagome noticed a subtle change in his appearance. She felt his youki slowly disappearing, being replaced by his more human-like appearance.

Kagome watched as his transformation was nearly completed, it was the first time she had seen him change right before her eyes. It was quite elegant really; the changes in colour of his hair and his eyes and how his ears would slowly move down and then change to human ears. And then he would look completely human. However his now piercing violet eyes still had their cat-like slits and Kagome supposed that the hanyou's youkai blood would never completely vanish.

"Inuyasha-san is it alright for you to walk and transform like that? What if a youkai or those houshi see you?"

"Let them Kohaku-kun."

"But--"

Inuyasha continued to walk on completely ignoring him. Kagome walked up to Kohaku and quietly asked him.

"Is he—always like this when he turns human?"

"Not really," the boy replied quietly, "but I wouldn't want to bother him when there's no moon."

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The small crowd of villagers standing in front of Kaede's village were not sure what to make of the situation.

In front of the group was the wise old miko, eye-patch and all and still alive; Kagome came up next looking happier then usual; a young couple soon followed, a young girl with a checker-patterned kimono and a boy wearing a plain style kimono with a kusari-gama tucked in his belt, and lastly a man dressed in fine clothes and an expression that was hard to decipher. Some villagers felt the urge to shiver as he drifted passed them after seeing his cold violet eyes.

They looked to Kaede for an explanation, which she cleared her throat.

"Everyone, this is Inuyasha."

Inuyasha bowed his head in acknowledgement.

Whispers and murmurs could be heard amongst the men and women and confusion could be felt everywhere.

Kaede continued to speak.

"Please, make him feel welcome."

One of the men spoke up, with still a look of confusion on his face.

"Weren't you supposed to have white hair?"

The others nodded in agreement.

Inuyasha refused to say anything, instead, choosing to stand motionless and keeping his eyes towards the ground

"What happened to your ears?" A woman asked.

The villagers came closer for a better inspection, inquisitiveness taking over them.

Kagome could feel his irritation growing, and so she decided to intervene. She stepped in front of him and spread her arms out to stop the people from coming any closer.

"Yes, this is Inuyasha."

"How come he looks different?" A woman asked.

Kagome suddenly felt that she was being interrogated by her friends from the future, so she used her quick thinking to come up with a reason.

"He's sick," was Kagome's simple answer.

All eyes fell on the miko from the future.

"Sick?" The villagers asked.

Kagome nodded her head furiously, "Yes, very sick…terrible sickness. It happens every night." She shook her head. "His hair loses its colour and his ears shrink."

Shocked whispers went throughout the crowd at the discovery of this piece of information.

Inuyasha looked at her with a very strange expression on his face.

"That's terrible," a man finally said, "will you be alright?" He asked the hanyou turned human.

He was about to answer when Kagome cut in, "He'll be alright, but he needs to sleep or something…horrible might happen."

"Horrible?" They all asked as they all stepped back a bit to make room for Kagome and Inuyasha to pass through.

When the people were gone out of sight, the villagers all looked at Kaede, their eyes questioning. "She didn't really mean that, did she?"

Kaede had to laugh, it was obvious that Kagome was a very bad liar, but she was somehow able to fool some of the villagers who did not know her very well. It was amazing that Kagome would go to such lengths to try and help Inuyasha in anyway she could. Inuyasha was certainly lucky to have someone like Kagome and visa versa, and she prayed that the fates would smile upon them because they deserved at least that much.

She winced slightly as she felt a small throbbing pain on her big toe.

Over the years that she had experienced such a feeling, only meant one thing…

Something or someone was coming very soon.

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Author's notes

inu-no oji-chan - dog uncle

youki - youkai energy

youkai - demon or supernatural being

kurasi-gama - chain and sickle

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I wonder what is going to happen next?

Until next time...


	30. Chapter 30

Inuyasha (manga and anime) belong to Takahashi-san

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The Journey Home – Chapter Thirty

The weather was particularly cold that early morning. The forest was still, with the lack of breeze that would usually gracefully move through the leaves.

Sesshoumaru stood on a cliff, tall and regal, quietly contemplating his next move.

A long time ago, it was his father who had owned most of the western lands; it was his time to keep it that way.

He sometimes found it strange how his father's behaviour would be. Most youkai gained lands by inheritance, by the death of the highest ranking member of the family, and it would be then passed down to the eldest child; whether it would be male or female depended on the family's preference.

However his father, with his bizarre sense of humour, did not offer any lands for such an inheritance. Instead he had left it open to anyone, youkai or humans to claim. His father had a peculiar way of thinking; it went against everything his mother had told him. If only if his father did things the normal way then probably he would still be alive.

Yet somehow his father was able to keep that power for centuries, until he unfortunately found death with a youkai he was supposed to kill.

Long ago his father had been powerful, but somehow he felt the forbidden attraction towards a female mortal. At that time Sesshoumaru did not understand his father's reasoning and perhaps he never will. Other youkai had attacked his father because they saw this female as his weakness. Sesshoumaru had thought so too. Associating yourself with humans meant a youkai's downfall.

And his father had fallen.

It was after his death, Sesshoumaru had realised that he had breed with the human and produced a hanyou child. From that day on he had hated that cursed boy for being part of the reason for his father's death. Especially when he found out that the hanyou had inherited something from his father, the Tessaiga. A powerful fang-like katana that was capable of slaughtering hundreds of youkai. It was supposed to belong to him.

He watched Inuyasha grow up, hated by both humans and youkai. That was the life of a hanyou.

He watched as Inuyasha's mother lay on her death bed, barely breathing. The little hanyou held onto his mother's kimono long after her passing to the other world.

He saw the hanyou trying to follow him, but Sesshoumaru did not allow it, he did not have use for a weakling. The hanyou had pleaded and begged pathetically with dirt and tears staining his face. The tai-youkai sneered down at him and lashed out his claws creating slashing marks across his chest.

And Inuyasha ran away from him.

As the hanyou grew older, Sesshoumaru hardly ever saw him. On the rare occasion he would spot the familiar red of the kimono running swiftly in the shadows, fighting for survival. Sesshoumaru decided to keep an eye on him since the hanyou was becoming too stubborn to die.

The boy was always fighting, and surviving even the most gruelling battles. It was always a battle that would end up messy, blood would fly and bodies would be scattered everywhere and Inuyasha's face would be covered in blood.

Each battle Inuyasha had faced, Sesshoumaru could see the intelligence and skill that was played into the battles. Each move was calculated and timed without any strikes out of place. Of course he did not have any grace or the finesse when compared to someone like him; nevertheless, he was an efficient killer, if a very messy one.

He thought it would be time to meet with his brother.

The meeting did not go very well and to prove it he had no left arm. Yet he was fortunate that he only got away with only one less limb. If Inuyasha had decided to aim a bit lower, Sesshoumaru could have been sliced in half.

He closed his eyes as the irritation grew and breathed out a sigh, releasing the tension.

After all he had done for the bastard hanyou; Inuyasha decided to slice off his arm. Such gratitude little brothers can give a person. He guessed that his younger brother still hated him.

But could one blame the actions of the tai-youkai? He certainly did not think so.

He had tried again to reason with the hanyou, all without success; it had seemed that Inuyasha was able to keep a grudge. He was almost as bad as a neko youkai.

It was only when he had witnessed the hanyou's transformation as a full-blooded youkai that the course of events had begun to change.

Inuyasha had approached him secretively one night. He had seemed quite distressed and was asking Sesshoumaru for advice. In which the tai-youkai could not answer, he had never had any experience when a hanyou transformed, let alone what to do about it. Hanyou would not usually survive until adulthood, they would be physically weaker. This he had always knew. Sesshoumaru had explained this to him, to which Inuyasha's troubled expression, only grew. When the older youkai had told him that he would look into it, the look on his younger brother's face faintly reminded that of a small child, when he had asked him that if he could stay. In the same instance it was gone, replaced by the characteristic frown that Sesshoumaru was accustomed to.

Then Inuyasha turned to fully face him, an arrogant air around him.

"_I'll help you regain your lands." _He had said.

"_And how would you possibly accomplish that, Inuyasha?"_

"_You will see Sesshoumaru; I will make sure these lands are yours." _

"_Just try not to get yourself killed by your imprudent conquest." _He had replied coolly. He never knew that the hanyou would actually keep his word.

From that day onwards, they had formed a rather odd alliance, taking over lands and keeping the youkai at bay. It had almost become some sort of competition between them, to see who could gain ownership of lands the fastest. And when it came to games, Sesshoumaru found it very hard to resist.

He had tried to refuse his brother's challenge previously, saying that this kind if thing was beneath him, although the wicked look in his brother's eyes, nearly made Sesshoumaru want to punch him. So he had punched Jaken instead.

Inuyasha's smirk had grown, _"Oh come on Sesshoumaru. You are always competitive. What's wrong with something like this? Besides, you have to," _the hanyou had laughed,_ "humans grow faster and breed quickly. Youkai would have one or two children in a century, while they would have hundreds every few decades."_

He knew that Inuyasha was exaggerating and yet that thought never really disappeared from his mind, so much so, that it had become the first thing he would think about in the morning, and the last thing that he would think about when he slept, if he ever did.

He could not have humans breed like rabbits and take over _his_ lands.

Sesshoumaru did not really want to roll his eyes, but…

Sometimes he wished he was the only child.

He gave out a delicate sigh; he would have to see Inuyasha again, for him to complete the necessary paper work. And that hanyou could not always look after the young Rin in the constant danger he was now in.

He surveyed his now owned land one last time.

It was a constant thought that frequently entered his mind. _Would this be a good location to build a castle?_ He would have to ask the hanyou about it; after all he had been promised that a castle would be built, and promises made to the tai-youkai were always kept.

Sesshoumaru turned and gracefully walked down back towards the path that lead to the east where he had news that the hanyou was heading in the same direction.

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Kagome and Inuyasha sat alone in the hut, both quietly drinking the tea that Kaede had provided for them. The old miko had resumed her duties, which involved visiting the other villagers who were sick or collecting herbs for medicine.

Inuyasha had not slept the previous night, reason being that it was his human night and Kagome, Rin and Kohaku had tried their best to stay awake. She was lucky that her mother had packed a lot of board and card games to keep them occupied. But slowly Kohaku and Rin had nodded off to sleep as the night gradually drove on. Kagome and Inuyasha were the only ones left that were awake, staying up most of the night playing checkers and eating vanilla flavoured pocky sticks.

Although, it had proved to be difficult for the young miko to stay awake and focussed, as he had kept trying to coax her to sleep. She kept glaring at him, silently telling him to stop. But the human was stubborn, by using a warm honey-like voice that soothed her, much to Kagome's annoyance and those eyes of his…those eyes…had they always been that colour? She struggled to stay awake, but she was failing so badly.

_Damn you dog-boy and your lovely violet eyes, _she had thought as her vision had blurred as she was succumbed by sleep and she could tell that he was smirking.

"Is everything alright with you Inuyasha?" She asked quietly the next day.

He had been more reserved than usual, only replying when he was spoken to. He only nodded his head and continued drinking his tea.

Kagome placed a hand on his knee which caught the hanyou by surprise, causing him to look at her.

Sometimes it was hard for the miko to know what he was thinking; it was his empty gaze that always looked back at her but she found nothing that could convey any emotion to her. It had become more apparent ever since they came back to the village.

"Does it hurt, coming back here?" Kagome asked.

"Not really," he replied, in an almost monotonous voice, "I will be fine."

But Kagome wasn't sure about Inuyasha's claim. _He's not smiling anymore…_

The miko sighed in mild frustration, instead she choose to remain optimistic about the whole situation.

Kagome smiled, rather slyly.

"You can hold my hand if you're scared."

Inuyasha blinked and raised an eyebrow. He looked at her disbelievingly. "Scared, _me_?" and then he blushed turning his head away, "Keh! Don't push your luck woman."

Kagome giggled, but held his hand anyway.

Inuyasha felt that the room was getting hotter for unknown reasons.

After a while when the hanyou trusted himself to speak instead of talking incoherently, Inuyasha cleared his throat.

"You have to go back don't you? Your family must really miss you."

"I guess so; it's been…what like weeks since I last saw them. They'll be glad to see you again too."

"Really?" he asked with sudden interest. "They won't mind?"

"Of course not, whatever gave you that idea?"

His face became red and he lowered his eyes towards the ground. "It's just…never mind it's stupid."

"Inuyasha…" Kagome sighed, "If you didn't come with me, Souta would harass me to no end and I bet mamma was planning a big meal for you." She spread her arms out just to demonstrate how big the meal would be.

A tiny smile formed on his lips. "Well, we can't keep them waiting can we?"

He got up and held a hand up for the miko which Kagome accepted, and they walked outside together.

As they walked along the path towards the well, many people were staring at them in interest. Kagome held onto Inuyasha's arm a bit tighter, she wished those villagers would say something instead of staring at them.

A group of young children were playing with a twine ball, happily bouncing and throwing it to each other. The eldest boy in the group threw the ball particularly hard and it was difficult to catch since they were all pretty short. The ball flew through the sky, right in the direction of Kagome's face. The children called out frantically to the woman to dodge the ball.

Before the miko had time to react, Inuyasha used his quick reflexes to catch the ball.

Every one stood at a standstill.

The children felt too frightened to move, let alone ask for the ball back. It had been a very long time, for some of them for the first time, to meet a youkai. He didn't look too friendly either by the looks of it. Their parents had told them that all youkai were dangerous. They watched him with frightened eyes.

Until a small girl walked up a distance towards the strange man, and Inuyasha could see that she was shaking slightly.

"C-can we h-have our ball back…please."

Inuyasha's eyes held a look of confusion for a while, but soon he smiled a little and walked up until he was directly in front of the girl. He gently handed the ball to the young girl.

"Just be more careful next time, alright?" The strange man said, patting her on the head.

The girl watched him as he left to join with the other strange woman. She was left quite speechless. _Wow,_ was all she could think of. The girl ran to the other children with a bigger smile on her face. _I met a real youkai._

* * *

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The well could almost be seen in the distance. Although they both started to feel resistance as they walked closer. It felt like a barrier, similar to those used by a certain dark hanyou when he did not want a select group of people to enter. Inuyasha put an arm in front of Kagome making her stop in her tracks.

"Careful, that's a very powerful barrier. It's incredible that it was able to stay active for this long."

Kagome drew out her bow and arrow, "I'll get rid of it then." She was about to aim when the hanyou gave her a slip of paper.

"Here, an ofuda," he tied it to the arrow then gave it back to her.

However Kagome narrowed her eyes towards the ofuda, then at the hanyou. "Just _how _did you get your spiritual powers? I've always wanted to ask you."

The hanyou only shrugged his shoulders, "I'm not exactly sure. But it's like you, isn't it? You got your miko powers from nowhere, didn't you?"

The miko rolled her eyes and poked a finger onto his shoulder. "I didn't get my powers from nowhere. I got my powers by being a reincarnation of Kikyou, remember?" It was then she had a sudden idea. "Hey, maybe you're a reincarnation too, you just didn't know it."

As a reply, the hanyou gave a peculiar gaze and Kagome caught a glimpse of his eyes as it seemed to darken into a murky black. It was soon gone, replaced by an amused face.

"I highly doubt it," he turned away from her, still smiling, but to Kagome it looked weird, if that was the right word.

"Come on Kagome, shoot the arrow."

And she did after a bit of hesitation. _What was that look? I wonder what he is hiding._

The arrow shot through, aided by the power of the ofuda, the barrier cracked then shattered as if it were glass. It glowed brightly for a few seconds, and then it soon died down replaced by the place that they both thought they would never see again.

It was the well.

Or what was left of it.

Kagome could clearly see why she wasn't able to come to this age at all before. The old well was cracked in various places as it bore the weight of a huge tree. The tree itself was wedged tightly into the well, with no obvious way to get through. She looked closely at the large tree; it seemed to have taken root, even sprouting some green leaves in the newly formed branches. The grass around the well had overgrown, reaching the full height of the structure. Around them, different sorts of plants were twisted and wild in all sorts of shapes showing the neglect it had faced for years.

Kagome looked towards the inu-hanyou. His face was set in a frown and his nose was twitching erratically.

Inuyasha sniffed at the tree, and winced. Holding the large sleeve of his haori he suppressed the urge to cough, but the smell was still nauseating.

"It is very faint, this scent. But it still smells of him."

Kagome's heart thumped loudly in her chest, _Naraku?_

It seemed that Inuyasha had read her mind and he reluctantly turned his head away from her.

"Yes." He replied. "Even now he still leaves a horrible smell."

The sad mood was short however, and Kagome's face had brightened again.

"Well, Inuyasha, don't have that long face. Let's get that tree out shall we?"

Inuyasha caught on to Kagome's contagious enthusiasm and scoffed at the miko. "_We_, just who you think is the hanyou around here?" He shook his head comically, to which Kagome slapped his arm playfully.

Inuyasha took off his dark blue haori, and his katana and wakizashi were taken out of the belt. He measured the tree, calculating how much force he had to use to pull the huge tree out.

With every sniff of air, he could almost taste the nauseating jyaki that surrounded the tree.

Inuyasha flexed his fingers, planted his feet firmly into the ground. He grabbed the tree with his claws and began to pull.

* * *

Author's notes

haori - jacket that is worn over kimono

katana - japanese sword

wakizashi - shorter sword like a katana

ofuda - spell charm

* * *

Like to leave a review? Any comments are appreciate.

I wonder who would meet with them first...

Until next time...


	31. Chapter 31

Inuyasha (manga and anime) belong to Takahashi-san

* * *

The Journey Home – Chapter Thirty One

Souta rushed home from the gruelling exams of middle high school. As he climbed the never ending flight of stairs, the shrine slowly came into view. It was still the same, same old house, same old tree, and same old shrine.

The only thing that would always catch the young boy's eye would be the well house, which stood almost unnoticeably in the shade of the trees.

It was the day when he came…

…The very cool dog-eared boy, Inuyasha.

He was so strange looking, compared to the mundane world of all the black hair and brown eyes; Souta just had to have him as a brother. Everything was cool about him, his hair, his eyes, and his amazing strength.

His older sister would always tell stories about the hanyou, on his insistent nagging that is. It was no doubt that he held great admiration for him. If only his sister would agree.

That was a long time ago, as Souta looked longingly at the closed doors of the well house. Kagome had become 'stuck' in this era and over the months and years; Souta had begun noticing the changes. She would be physically in this era, but it had become more obvious that her mind was not.

Kagome would always sigh after long periods of silence. She would look at people or places and she would go into a trance. Kagome wouldn't isolate herself from her friends, but if she was alone by herself, she would begin to go into her own world.

It was that day when she had heard the news that she would be able to go back to Sengoku jidai, Souta saw the old Kagome he had always known, and for that he was happy.

He wondered how she was doing, he prayed everyday for her safe return and of course he had high hopes that a certain hanyou would be following behind her.

_Hurry back home nee-chan._

A strange sound made him turn around in puzzlement. Souta quickly turned his head, first right then left, trying hard to determine what had made that sound.

It sounded like it had come from the well house.

_Could it be?_

Souta became excited by the thought, maybe she had found Inuyasha and were back already. He found his energy renewed and rushed to the well house. Souta quickly opened the sliding door to find…

…Nothing.

Only the well stood there, as if it had always been.

Souta inwardly swore, he was beginning to imagine things, and that was always not a good sign.

There was that noise again, only it sounded louder, like a scratching sound. Souta moved closer towards the well, ever cautious of where his footsteps landed on the ground.

There was a very loud rumble.

Souta nearly jumped out of his skin at the sudden noise, and then he could hear it very clearly.

"Meeoowww…"

"Buyou, what are you doing here?"

The over-weight cat continued to scratch at the well.

Souta sighed. Ever since Kagome had left for Sengoku jidai, that blob of a cat decided to make itself a permanent resident of the well house.

But the boy had a bizarre feeling in his gut. Not like a feeling he would get after eating too many rice crackers, but more like a premonition. The feeling grew stronger as he neared towards the well, as if some power had surrounded it.

Souta touched the well with his fingers and felt the smooth textures of the wood. Looking into the opening of the well, the only thing he saw was darkness and nothing more. But he knew that this was no ordinary well.

It was the connection to the other world, to Sengoku jidai.

Sometimes Souta would envy his sister for her ability to pass through the well. He had always wanted to know what happened on the other side; after all, he was very curious back then.

However the well held new meanings for him, it meant that his sister's love was on the other side and she would be searching for him and bringing him home.

It had always amused him, his sister and the hanyou's relationship. For someone so ignorant about love, Inuyasha sure showed a lot of it when it concerned his sister. And Kagome said Inuyasha didn't care.

Girls were always so silly.

He couldn't wait to see his hero's face again.

Maybe he would stay here forever.

* * *

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"I-Inuyasha, I think you should stop now. It looks like that tree isn't going to come out."

The large tree was proving very difficult to move and even with his hanyou strength, the tree refused to budge.

The hanyou relaxed his arms, feeling a bit more frustrated than usual at the stubborn tree. Looking down at his sore hands, he could see the small splinters that had somehow embedded themselves into his skin. He then winced at the thought of having to pull them out afterwards.

"What kind of tree is this anyway?" Kagome asked, poking a finger at the bark of the tree. "I've never seen anything like it."

"It probably has a curse to make it grow roots like that." The hanyou answered still trying to think of a way to pull out the tree.

All of a sudden, Kagome had an idea, "Hey Inuyasha, you could try to poison the tree. That would make it easier to pull it out."

After some thought, he found that indeed it was a very good idea, "That is a very good idea."

He reached into his large sleeve, pulling out a small wrapped ball containing poison. He drew out his dagger and carefully cut a slit into the ball. While holding his breath, he poured the liquid onto the tree, and as the liquid made contact with the bark, it made an awful hissing sound in protest.

Inuyasha covered his nose to prevent the stench overcoming him and quickly moved away as the poison did its work.

Ever so slowly, to their surprise, the tree crumbled before their eyes. Firstly the leaves shrivelled, turning a horrid brown-black colour and then dropping to the ground in clumps making sizzling sounds as it touched the grass. The bark of the tree became discoloured, cracking into chips of wood as the tree desiccated from the inside.

"Kagome," the hanyou all of a sudden commanded. "Stand back now!"

The miko didn't really understand what exactly was going on, however she did…

…Just in time.

The large tree was still hissing from the poison, yet it sounded more loudly, more terrifying, like an animalistic screech. Its roots began to move, first one, then three, and by the way they were moving gave Kagome a sinking feeling…

A horrible feeling…

Eyes blinked showing their blood red eyes. Grotesque pairs of legs stretched themselves to full length and Kagome finally realised why Inuyasha had called her to back away.

It was a hideous spider, a_ large_ hideous spider, an arachnid in the form of a tree that she was just poking a minute ago. Its form was as large as the tree itself, as it pulled itself out of the well in one swift motion. And now it stood there, more than irritable at being awoken by the poison. The spider screeched again and both Inuyasha and Kagome had to quickly block their ears as the soundwaves rippled through the trees causing birds and small animals to flee in fright.

_Oh why did it have to be a spider? I hate spiders! _

Kagome opened her eyes slowly to find the hanyou had just dodged a spray of acid from the spider's mouth. A foul smell drifted into the air as the acid hit the grass and trees.

Without any vacillation, Inuyasha ran towards the towering beast with his katana drawn out of the scabbard. The sharp blade moved swiftly, right and left, hacking all in its path. The severed legs no longer provided the support for the spider, causing it to fall. And the final blow was delivered, with Inuyasha slicing the head off with such ease, that it made Kagome's face turn a little green.

A few minutes later when the 'tree' had disintegrated into nothingness, Inuyasha and Kagome inspected the well. Or what was left of it.

"We can rebuild it right?" Kagome asked hopefully.

"I think so," Inuyasha replied, equally hopeful.

Both of them sighed miserably, it would take a while before the well could be fully repaired. It was dangerous to travel in it at its present state, as the well may collapse completely and with the mysterious well, well anything could happen.

With a few minutes of consideration of what exactly to do next, Inuyasha felt a familiar sting on his cheek, resulting with the hanyou to slap his face, which was quite painful for the victim.

A flat looking flea floated onto the palm of Kagome's hand, which she noticed the squashed shape immediately.

"Myoga jii-chan, I haven't seen you for a long time!"

Myoga was more than surprised to hear a familiar voice, a female voice no less. He popped into his usual shape and peered upwards to a very happy Kagome.

"Kagome-sama, it is you! Inuyasha-sama has missed you…"

He was effectively squashed again by a disgruntled hanyou.

"That is enough Myoga ji-jii."

However the flea only heard one word of the sentence.

"Inuyasha-sama it's been a long time since you have called me ji-jii. You _must _be happy then." He finished off by laughing heartily, not noticing the fingers that were ready to squash him again.

"Myoga jii-chan, what are you doing here anyway?" Kagome asked, snatching the flea just in time.

Myoga stopped his laughing and cleared his throat to speak.

"Oh…uh it's just Sesshoumaru-sama requests to see you again. Urgent matters he said."

"Ah, really, I wonder what he wants this time."

"Can I come too Inuyasha?" Kagome asked, but she was cut off by the flea.

"I apologise, but it is business. No outsiders allowed. There are spies everywhere."

"Oh…I see." The miko replied squashing the flea showing her disappointment. "There's nothing that I can say to change your mind?" She asked with hopefulness.

"I'm sorry Kagome. But when there are urgent matters, Sesshoumaru-san does not want any outsiders." Inuyasha smiled apologetically towards her, she had every right to come along, but it was safer for the young miko to stay in the village.

Kagome sighed, this argument could not be won, but she wouldn't be ignored so quickly.

"You can go Inuyasha, but you have to promise me something." The rest was whispered into his ear.

His eyes first widened, and then blushing softly, he nodded timidly. Inuyasha reached for the tie that kept his hair up, loosened it and gave it to the young woman.

"Keep it, so I don't forget." As he gave her his hair tie, he wrapped his hand around hers almost hesitant to let go. He did not really want to leave her again.

"Are you sure you can't stay for at least a while longer?" Kagome asked. "Surely Sesshoumaru can wait. At least have something to eat before you go."

"Well, maybe I can have some ramen." Inuyasha replied squashing the flea before he could protest.

"You can have two cups of ramen if you want." Kagome said, happy that he could stay a bit longer.

* * *

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It was night when Sango, Miroku and Shippou arrived at the border of Kaede's village. Kirara set them down gently and transformed into her smaller self.

_It's been a long time since we've been here._

Shippou felt uneasy coming back to this village again; it held so many bad memories for him, mostly involving the hanyou and Kagome from the future. He missed his adopted mother, and he prayed for her to come back here everyday since the day she disappeared.

It was all because of that hanyou's fault, everything was always his fault.

But he had missed him too, sometimes.

That thought was quickly pushed away.

"It would be good to see Kaede-sama again." Sango said.

Miroku noticed that Sango's eyes were beginning to water. He placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, and she smiled in appreciation. She didn't know why she felt a sudden sadness.

The trees whispered in reply, knowing what the answer was.

A noise caused Shippou's sensitive hearing to be alerted.

Out of the shadows appeared a young girl and she seemed very happy.

Shippou blinked.

It certainly was a young girl, skipping merrily on the dirt-worn path, humming a song as she went along.

Shippou's heart skipped a few beats. _She's cute._

Miroku saw the kitsune unconsciously take a sharp intake of breath. And the houshi instantly became worried.

Shippou ran to the girl.

That feeling of worry grew.

"Hi, I'm Shippou." He said with enthusiasm.

The girl jumped slightly.

Sango squinted her eyes towards the girl, where had she seen her before, for she had looked very familiar.

Maybe she would have been with a youkai.

_A checker-patterned kimono…?_

"Rin!" she cried in surprise.

Rin looked at the exterminator and houshi and tilted her head as if to think. She furrowed her eyebrows in concentration and suddenly she gasped.

"Sango-sama…Miroku-sama!"

Everyone stood still in uneasiness. Sango and Miroku placed their hands on their weapons, ever cautious that a certain tai-youkai would materialise out of nowhere and cause them havoc.

Instead a young boy's voice could be heard. It had a soft quality and Sango thought she was hearing things.

"Rin where are you?" Kohaku called out.

Rin's face brightened and ran to Kohaku, nearly knocking the boy over.

It was then Kohaku noticed other people in the area. He put his hand behind his back, feeling for the handle of his kusari-gama.

"Kohaku…?"

He paused, looking at the woman who wore a pink and white kimono and a green apron wrapped around her waist.

"Ane-ue…"

There he stood, Sango's younger brother, and looking quite well, not the melancholy appearance he used to have when Naraku had control over him. Sango eyed the boy appreciatively, he had grown quite handsomely.

"Kohaku, you've grown up." She felt her tears forming in her eyes again as she saw the kind face that Sango had always dreamt that her brother would one day have.

Kohaku blushed and nodded his head; it was good to see his sister again, "Really, ane-ue?" His body was shaking with overflowing emotions as he walked up towards her.

And then he smiled.

_Kami, he's smiling. _Sango let her tears flow down her cheeks as she hugged her brother who was now as tall as her. But to her, Kohaku was always her dear little brother. She brought his face to look at him and she could see that the boy was trying very hard to hold back the tears. "Look at you Kohaku; you've grown up so handsomely."

"Ane-ue!" the boy immediately went red in the face from hearing Sango's comment. "Not in front of everybody."

Sango only laughed and hugged him again.

Miroku decided to join in the conversation, "What exactly do you mean by 'in front of everybody'?"

The boy began to stutter and blush a deeper red. The all laughed, but only Miroku had noticed Kohaku's behaviour. It had closely reminded him of someone else, _his behaviour, where have I seen it before?_

He shook his head, clearing his thoughts.

Kohaku smiled again after the embarrassing moment was finished. He took his sister's hand and with a kind voice that Sango was used to hearing before Kohaku had 'died'.

"Come on ane-ue, you can sleep in the village." And he began leading her into Kaede's village with Miroku and Rin following close behind.

Shippou was left alone, the cute girl was gone. He mumbled something under his breath. This had always happened with every girl he had met. He knew better than to think of other things instead of girls, but years of influence from Miroku, Shippou just grew into it.

The leaves of the trees blew again, bringing a scent into Shippou's nose, something far off but familiar. He sniffed again, the scent grew stronger and his eyes widened.

_It can't be!_

He ran to catch up with the others.

* * *

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Kagome felt a sudden pulse of energy that ran through her whole body, leaving her with a tingling sensation.

"What's wrong Kagome?" Kaede asked.

"I can feel it, two or three shards coming in this direction."

Kaede's eyes widened, jewel fragments and anything coming in this direction was never good in her experience.

They would have to wait and see what would happen.

* * *

Author's notes

kurasi-gama - chain and sickle

ane-ue - honorific for older sister

nee-chan - older sister

* * *

Like to leave a review? Any comments are appreciated.

Until next time...


	32. Chapter 32

Inuyasha (manga and anime) belong to Takahashi-san

* * *

The Journey Home – Chapter Thirty Two

_This scent, I remember it. But it can't be…_

Shippou's nose refused to stop twitching from the smell. The scent was everywhere, and with each running step towards the village, the familiar scent only grew stronger.

The smell had sent his mind spinning, giving him thoughts of the most likely person that this scent might belong to. But he had to make sure it _was _her, for she had been gone for so long, her sudden appearance had made him curious, almost anxious, to see Kagome's face again.

_It has to be her!_

Shippou ran faster—

Right into Sango, Kohaku and Miroku, who were blissfully unaware of Shippou's dilemma, and consequently all four fell in a tangled heap.

Shippou being a youkai was the first to recover.

Sitting up straight, he started waving his arms frantically calling everyone to attention.

"Shippou, what's wrong?" Miroku asked.

"I-I-it's her!"

Everyone suddenly faced the kitsune youkai.

"What are you talking about Shippou?" Sango asked in puzzlement.

However Shippou didn't leave a reply as he hastily picked himself up and dashed the remaining distance towards the village.

Sango and Miroku looked confusingly at the youkai, both wondering what he was up to this time. Shippou always had a streak of mischief and they never knew if it was intentional or not. In short, he was difficult to keep up with, and with him being a youkai only made the matter worse.

Sango shrugged her shoulders towards the houshi, and then followed Shippou shaking her head at the same time.

Miroku stood up as well, dusting off his robes from the dirt. Once upon a time, it was Naraku who he had thought would be the death of him; however he was beginning to have his doubts.

They found Shippou near the huts, frantically sniffing the air, darting from one hut to the other, and then shoving his head through the door flap, causing havoc everywhere he went.

The villagers were not too happy with the sudden commotion and their complaints fell onto the ears of the village miko.

* * *

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Kaede sighed; she was getting too old for this.

Kagome stood up, and arming herself with her bow and quiver of arrows, she begun to walk towards the door.

Kaede stopped her just in time, and the young woman's eyes widened in bewilderment. However, the old miko just shook her head, and putting a finger to her lips, told Kagome to stay silent and she herself would take a look.

The old miko peered outside of the door flap, scanning her eyes for the situation. What she found, was something she was not expecting.

Or people for that matter.

There in the distance stood a very familiar youkai exterminator, houshi and a very frustrated kitsune. Kaede wondered why they had ventured to her village again after all this time.

Then it dawned on her. Maybe they too were searching for rumours about the whereabouts of Shikon no Tama, just as they had done before when their group consisted of two other members.

Would it surprise them that Inuyasha was in possession of the jewel? Or would they, because of their hate, come to the wrong conclusion?

She sincerely hoped not.

Kaede took a deep breath to calm her nerves and slowly exited the hut.

The commotion only got louder as she neared the trio.

"What is going on here?" She commanded.

Miroku was the first to notice Kaede. He bowed to her.

"Kaede-sama, I am sorry to intrude on you like this. But Shippou suddenly," he pointed to the kitsune. "Well I don't know exactly why he's running around like that."

Shippou stomped towards the houshi, anger written all over his face, but to Miroku it was a look of a child who did not get what he wanted. Whatever that meant, he was not sure.

"I am not running around! I'm telling you, it's her!"

"And may I ask who are you referring to?" The old miko asked.

Shippou puffed angrily. "It's Kagome, she's here! I can smell it all over the place!"

Everyone stared at the kitsune. Sango and Miroku could not believe their ears when Shippou had said that name, the name that they thought they would never hear again. Was it possible that the girl from the future was here?

They looked towards Kaede for an explanation.

"Yes she is here, in my hut actually." As soon as those words came out, she immediately regretted them. She could only gape in horror as the kitsune rushed into the hut, and what sounded like a startled shriek could be heard.

Everyone rushed towards the hut.

* * *

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Kagome waited patiently inside the dimly lit hut, peering every once in a while to see what was happening. She wished that Inuyasha was here; somehow his presence would always make things seem a lot easier.

Unfortunately, the hanyou had to leave earlier than she would have wanted as Myoga would not stop bothering him by constantly sucking for his blood. And so to stop himself from constantly slapping his face from the menace, he had to reluctantly leave, promising that he would find suitable wood to rebuild the well. He had also given instructions for Kohaku and Rin to stay with the miko as well, just in case if they ever did find themselves in danger.

But right now she was scared, as she could sense the aura of the Shikon no Tama coming ever closer, although she couldn't sense any evil intentions. She tightly gripped her weapon for comfort. The miko had to be careful, who knew what kind of persons or youkai were in the village. _Keep calm Kagome; it's been a long time since you've dealt with this kind of thing. But you can handle it…exams are nothing. _

However she didn't need to worry any longer, as it sounded like Kaede had successfully brought calm to the villagers.

She sighed in relief, thinking that she was safe, she relaxed her arms.

All was safe…

Everything was fine…

…Until a large youkai with a long bushy tail launched onto her, crying at the same time.

Kagome was beyond surprised; in fact she had frozen on the spot, unable to move. _What am I supposed to do now? Keep calm…you can handle it._

The youkai held on with a fierce grip.

_What do I do…what do I do?_

Kagome was unsure what to do, should she panic or laugh. Laughing sounded good as every once in a while something bushy would tickle her ear. Although, right now she couldn't do either as her face was squashed between a shoulder and the huge bushy tail.

Her anxiety was starting to rise as the youkai refused to free her. The dampness on her shoulder was also growing as the youkai also, would not stop wailing.

_Please, _she silently begged, _stop crying. You're ruining my clothes…_

That was the last straw and so she decided to poke him sharply at his sides to get his attention.

He yelped and jumped back holding his sides as if in pain.

Kagome eyed the youkai in front of her, he looked familiar.

It was a male youkai with red hair tied up in a ribbon, mischievous if somewhat watery green eyes, and dressed in a kimono patterned by green leaves and a pair of dark blue hakama. His legs were oddly shaped like the hind legs of some animal. However, his boyish face did not go unrecognised.

"Sh-Shippou-chan?" she said almost uncertainly.

His eyes welled up with tears again and his lower lip trembled when he heard the all too familiar voice.

"Kagome…it is you…, I-I missed you so much." He said as he ran towards her, nearly knocking her over for the second time.

Nervously she placed a comforting hand on his back in an attempt to calm him down.

"It's al-alright Shippou-chan, d-don't cry alright?"

Her efforts failed as he only cried louder.

Kagome sighed, and then turned her head towards the door when she heard the sound of a sudden gasping noise. Her eyes widened at the couple who stood at the door with equally surprised expressions.

It was Sango and Miroku, two people she hadn't seen for a very long time.

A sudden feeling of happiness filled her heart from seeing her old friends, friends who had become like her second family.

And yet, she found that she could not really smile.

These were her friends, the same friends who had cruelly banished the hanyou.

She was torn between wanting to hug her friends and kicking them for driving Inuyasha out.

But now she was really unsure of what to do. What should she say? What should she do? After all, they had fallen for Naraku's games. And yet on the other hand, they should have trusted the hanyou a lot more.

They should have trusted him…

_But what _should _I do? _

Kagome knew that this was not going to be easy.

Breathing in and out slowly she calmed herself down; she would let them talk first. However, they had better watch what they say.

"Sango-chan, Miroku-sama, is it really you?"

The exterminator and the houshi couldn't believe their eyes. It was Kagome, who was looking quite well, cheerful even, which they both found very strange indeed.

Not knowing why the miko was still happy after all these years, they silently came to the possibility that the girl might not know about the hanyou's betrayal, as any bad news about him would surely distress the girl, as it always had before.

They wouldn't bring the matter up just yet. It would be a shock to the girl after all.

"Kagome-chan," Sango ran up to also embrace the young miko.

Kirara jumped onto Kagome's shoulder and began licking and nuzzling her cheek. The girl giggled as the fur tickled against her skin.

"It's good to see you again Kagome-sama." Miroku said, and then added with mischief, "Don't I get a hug too?"

"Are you still a hentai?" The miko asked.

Miroku feigned shock at such an accusation; however he hid it with a low bow. "Of course not Kagome-sama, I have never been."

"Well in that case, I won't hug you."

They all laughed at the joke.

Except Kagome could almost taste the bitterness from the sound of laughter.

* * *

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Everyone sat in a circle, happy in each others company. Shippou chatted merrily towards the girl who responded equally cheerfully, nodding her head at the appropriate times.

All those years lost, quickly became refilled by Shippou's stories in a few hours. She listened with great attention, as he told stories mostly consisting of youkai exterminations, collecting jewel shards and a little of Sango and Miroku's relationship, or lack of it.

Kagome felt a bit disappointed that Sango hadn't pursued a relationship with the hentai houshi, even after all this time. So she decided that if everything went well, without any unforseen circumstances, she would have a 'girl talk' with the exterminator later on.

Shippou had asked Kagome of what she had been up to for all these years and she replied: "school". And everyone understood, nodding their heads at the girl, marvelling at her dedication towards all this 'school' business.

It was silent for a few moments until the kitsune spoke again.

"Maybe tomorrow we can look for jewel shards again."

"Really?" Kagome said with nervous undertones that were hardly recognisable.

Sango joined in the conversation. "Yes, we heard that there was a dangerous youkai who disguises himself as a houshi, roaming around the country side looking for the shards. But we have heard strange stories that he is able to use spiritual powers, even though he is a youkai. So we're trying to track him down to find out if the rumours are true."

Kagome pretended to be surprised, they hadn't realised that they were talking about a certain hanyou.

"Are you alright Kagome-sama? You look a bit pale." Miroku asked.

"Do I?" She almost squeaked but caught herself just in time. "Just how do you know that he is a youkai?"

"Well, when we were back at the exterminator's village," Miroku began, "A young houshi had told us that there was a youkai who was searching for the Shikon no Tama. And he also said that the same youkai can disguise himself as a human.

"We thought that it might be Naraku in another disguise, but we were not sure, because we searched everywhere and couldn't find him. So that's why we became interested, because it all just seems so…odd."

The others nodded in agreement.

"The houshi also asked us to…exterminate him as it seems that he kills his victims for the jewel shards." The houshi didn't know why, but he found it extremely uncomfortable when he had said the word 'exterminate'. _It_ _must be a bad omen. _

If Kagome could get any paler, she did, and she could feel the sweat starting to form on her forehead. _Oh...Kami, I have a bad feeling about this…_

The houshi gave her a peculiar glance, finding something odd about Kagome's reaction. He decided to leave it, for now.

"Um…sure, we can start early tomorrow, in fact before the sun rises."

"That early Kagome?" Shippou asked. "You're usually the last one to get up."

Kagome let that one slide.

"But you know, it's the Shikon no Tama we're talking about. We _have _to get it back. Don't we guys?" She said as she was about to leave, before anyone noticed her weird expression.

"Kagome-sama, may I ask, if I may, why haven't you mentioned about um…Inuyasha."

Miroku was not sure if he had seen shock or fear on her face, but Shippou interrupted him before he could ask.

"You know why, like everybody else does. He betrayed her, us!"

That one word struck at Kagome's heart like an arrow, the pain was sharp and felt as if the same arrow continued to relentlessly stab at her. It was a horrible word that was spoken with such hatred that she almost felt sick in the stomach.

No one would dare to say that about _her _hanyou.

If they were willing to fight, she was ready.

She opened her mouth, and then…

Kaede decided to appear at the door, "Shippou, please don't shout like that," she calmly said.

When Shippou's anger did die down somewhat, Kaede continued to speak, "Kagome just arrived here today. The poor child was so exhausted when I found her near the Goshinboku tree, that she slept for most of the day. So I didn't have the chance to explain what was happening in her absence."

Shippou looked on, first to Kagome, then to Kaede and finally towards the exterminator and houshi, who looked back at him. "So…how did you get here, if the well was blocked?"

Kagome closed her mouth in bewilderment, _I just came here today? _Her voice refused to work and only one word came out, "Wh-wh-what…?"

Kagome looked at Kaede with an expression that demanded justification but was immediately silenced by her authoritative glare.

"Yes," Kaede began again covering for the younger miko's lack of response, "she said she arrived here just today, although I haven't asked her how she ended up here." The old miko knew that if the hanyou was not here to prove Kagome's argument, there was no need for the younger miko to bring up the hanyou at all. They would just have to figure it out for themselves.

All three looked at each other, _so_ _she doesn't know_.

This was going to be harder than they thought. What would the girl do, if she found out? Would she be angry? She would strongly deny it of course, but what would happen after that?

However they knew Kagome was always one who was so understanding, to which of course she would begin to comprehend the facts…and the truth. After all, she was their friend, and friends should always be told the truth.

But there was one thought that irritated their mind.

They found it strange that they had found that Kohaku and Rin were in the village as well. They had known that Rin had always constantly travelled with Sesshoumaru, and the fact that she was here instead, _and _with Kagome raised some suspicions. Was their presence a mere coincidence or was there something else going on in their absence?

They would find out their answers soon enough.

They all agreed that Sango would be the one telling the story with no interruptions from anybody. Sango glanced at the young miko with a look of sympathy. Kagome would be shocked by the news, but they would all be there to comfort her.

So Sango began telling the story, not noticing that Kirara was no where to be found.

The little neko scampered off somewhere, using her tiny nose to sniff at various scents, some pleasant, some not. She padded a little further and found what she was looking for. Her tiny legs ran up to a boy and a girl both chatting about nothing and everything.

Kohaku felt a weight jump onto his shoulder; he spied the neko as she purred her greeting to him. Kohaku stroked the fur on the little youkai and she meowed in response.

"How are you Kirara?" He asked.

Kirara nuzzled her nose into his cheek, continuing to sniff for scents. She meowed again, almost overjoyed by something. Then suddenly she jumped and ran into the forest, scaring a few villagers with her quick and unpredictable speed.

Kohaku panicked and ran after her, afraid that the neko would be able to find a certain scent, while Rin was following close behind.

* * *

What would Kagome say after hearing their side of the story?

Would Kirara find anything?

Until next time...


	33. Chapter 33

Inuyasha (manga and anime) belong to Takahashi-san

* * *

The Journey Home – Chapter Thirty Three

Sango began to tell their story, knowing that Kagome would be upset by the hanyou's actions.

It had begun the day after Kagome had left, and the hanyou was no where to be found, which to them was not unusual and they figured that he wanted some time to himself.

It was during around night time, when Shippou had noticed a trail of strange lights and wondered if they were Kikyou's soul skimmers. And so in his usual curiosity, he followed them, but instead he found himself near the well with the hanyou looking at a large tree in a very peculiar way, and it had made Shippou very nervous.

It had made the kitsune so nervous, that when he had run up to them, he was almost in frantic tears, his speech was inarticulate, and only could point towards the well.

They had all sprinted to the well in panic, and what they saw tore at their hearts.

It was the hanyou, forcibly ramming a great tree into the mouth of the well, effectively destroying the construction.

They could only stare in horror as bits of wood was cracked and shattered from the immense force.

Time seemed to slow down as the horrid image settled into their minds.

In their disbelief, they had demanded an explanation for his malicious act.

He only smiled, but it was a smile that chilled their very being.

And without another word, he swiftly disappeared into the darkness.

It was the next day when he had returned, but they were ready.

They forced him to explain, to which he said he did not know what they were talking about. The argument continued for a while, and each time, the hanyou would say he didn't have anything to do with it, and then he had the nerve to accuse them of lying.

But they had clearly seen him, and _he _dared to accuse _them_ of lying?

It had become obvious that he was the one who was deceitful.

And so they banished him and if he ever did return, they would drive him out again.

In the end, they were successful and they never saw him again.

Sango paused as tears threatened to fall down her face from the apparent anger she was experiencing, while Miroku placed a comforting hand onto her shoulder to calm her down.

_So that's what happened. No wonder they were angry._

Kagome said quietly with sadness edged in her voice. "Did you really get Inuyasha to explain?"

All three looked at Kagome in surprise.

"What do you mean Kagome? We asked him to explain and he had that look on his face and we knew he did it. That idiot betrayed you, all of us. And we trusted him!" Shippou shouted angrily.

"**SHUT UP!**" Kagome's anger ultimately exploded, silencing them all.

"Kagome-chan, I know this is hard for you, but you have to believe to us." Sango said as she reached a hand to comfort the girl.

Kagome fiercely slapped her hand away.

"How can you say that you trusted him? After all he's done for you…you—you were so willing to—to do this to him!?" Kagome's body was shaking, but not from being upset, she was infuriated.

She had promised Inuyasha that she would protect him, and that included protecting his honour.

"B-but it's true. We did see him, all of us." Sango said, feeling quite upset that Kagome did not want her comfort.

The miko glared at her; however everyone could see that Kagome was trying very hard to restrain her emotions.

"After all the things he has done for you, saved your lives numerous of times, and continued to protect your lives and risking his own. You said you trusted him. Then may I ask," she said with a cool calmness that was very uncharacteristic of the miko. "After all we have been through, where was the trust when you all banished him? Please, someone explain it to me…because right now, I do not understand any of your logic."

"B-but he _did_ do it, we all saw him." Shippou affirmed and the others agreed, not understanding why Kagome was accusing them. They had told her the truth and yet the miko had refused to acknowledge their story.

However, no one noticed that Miroku had remained silent throughout the whole conversation.

Kagome found the urge to be sardonic again. "Oh, how _convenient_ for all of you to see Inuyasha blocking the well, wasn't it nice to be at the right place at the right time. And you thought you saw Kikyou's soul skimmers too, wasn't that lovely? Now I wonder, what was our little hanyou friend doing with her anyway, if she was there? Sweet kisses under the moonlight, then planning my cruel demise I suppose?"

Kagome mockingly shrugged her shoulders and shook her head. "Who knows really? And…," she slammed both of her hands onto the hard floor causing everyone to sit back in sudden fright. "And who cares, because you can all be sure that **I do not believe he would do such a thing!!**"

Silence had fallen, no one dared to speak.

As the minutes came and went, everyone was beginning to feel uncomfortable and they knew that any movement could have bad consequences—

Terrified screams from outside of the hut made everyone jump in pure shock.

Sango noticed that Kirara was no where to be found to warn of any danger, and she began to panic.

"Where's Kirara?" Sango said, thankful for the distraction.

Kagome's abrupt outburst had no doubt shaken her. They had told her the truth, but they never thought that Kagome would react so ferociously against it. Their story was genuine, and the fact that the hanyou never did return to the village only proved their suspicions that he had had involvement with his sadistic act.

More shouts could be heard from outside and the sounds of the clanking of weapons could be heard. The loud screams of women seem to vibrate through the walls and only one word could be heard: "Youkai!!"

Kagome was the first to head outside, armed with her weapons and the feeling that she needed something to kill to vent off her anger. She wasn't a naturally violent person, but whoever or whatever had interrupted her nice conservation with her friends, were asking for a thrashing.

She ran towards where Kohaku was standing with Kirara by his side in her larger form, growling at the hidden intruder. Kagome shivered as she felt something cold crawling on her skin, and she turned her head around to found out why.

Human-like spiders had surrounded them using their numerous hands and feet to position themselves at odd angles, but their yellow eyes remained fixed on them, glowing eerily in the dark, and causing the miko to grimace in repulsion.

_It just _had_ to be spiders again, didn't it?_

She drew her bow and arrow and aimed at one of the arachnids. They hissed warningly in return, crouching down to prepare for the attack.

Kagome did not flinch at their warning; instead she pulled the string back ready to fire.

"What do you want?" She said threateningly to the trespassers, while darting her eyes, trying to find their leader.

A lone figure stalked towards them in a very arrogant fashion. He flipped his dark hair back smirking at the same time towards the young miko, who in return, looked back at him with a face that appeared nauseated by just his presence.

The youkai noticed her look of disgust and chuckled darkly.

"Now, now, there is no reason to look like that little girl. All the women enjoy _my_ company."

_I feel sorry for those women. _Kagome thought. But she was not one to judge, for he was a very handsome youkai, good facial structure, and finely dressed. However from past experiences, any youkai or human for that matter who appeared in this way were always more often than not, extremely dangerous. Or had the biggest ego known to mankind or youkai. And this youkai was of no exception.

"I'll ask again. What do you want?" She said, this time aiming for the leader.

He chuckled again and waved his hand dismissively. "Isn't it obvious? That boy over there has a piece of the jewel that's wanted by youkai everywhere. However," he sighed exaggeratedly shrugging his shoulders. "I _was _hoping for that houshi everyone's been talking about, because he would be more interesting to fight than women and children." He said this as he saw that a youkai exterminator, a houshi, and a kitsune came to the scene.

The youkai smiled like an excited child and pointed towards the houshi. "Are you him, you don't look like much."

Miroku looked around and then pointed to himself, "Who, me?"

The youkai felt the sudden raw power coming from the inside of Miroku's robes and his eyes gleamed with a strange delight. He clapped his hands together and said almost jokingly.

"It is you houshi-san. And they said you were hard to find. You are right here, in front of me." He bowed towards the confused houshi.

During their conversation, Kagome's body had relaxed, and suddenly she had been drained from all of her anger. _Damn him. I was ready to fight._

"My name is Takumi. It gives me great pleasure to meet you at last houshi-san. I have heard so much about you," his eyes held pure enjoyment, "yes, you are as exactly as they describe you. Is this a coincidence, I think not. You are a houshi _and _you have the Shikon no Tama. And I will be the one to take it from you."

Miroku stood in his spot in bafflement. There stood some youkai who was telling _him _that he was this houshi with the jewel. He wondered how such a description would be confused with someone like him.

Miroku was a houshi but, _but_ he only had a few shards, _a few shards_, not the whole damn jewel as this Takumi person was claiming.

And as a consequence, Miroku could only stand there with his mouth opening and closing, and anything that he did want to say, refused to come out.

"Ah…I see that you are unable to say a word. That means," his tone changed dramatically and he now spoke with a darkened voice, "you are the one that I seek."

He snapped his fingers and the humanoid-spiders sprang to life.

From their mouths they spat fine lines of webs at seemingly random orders, trapping the people in a circle.

Sango, not wanting to be killed because of a misunderstanding, aimed her Hiraikotsu and flung it at the spiders to prevent them from spraying any more of the poisonous silk.

Takumi laughed, unfazed by the huge weapon.

"You are as they described him, hiding behind women and children, really now houshi-san. Are you that weak?"

Miroku shut his eyes in anger, he was not one to hide behind women or children and he was going to prove it. He put his right hand in front of him, slowly unravelling the beads…

…Only then realising that he did not possess the kazaana any longer. _Oh, that's just great._

Miroku narrowed his eyes and cursed under his breath, this was not his day. So instead, he readied his ofuda and shakujou waiting patiently for Takumi to attack.

"Oh don't give me that look. It's not my fault I was able to track you."

With that, he sprayed sticky webs from his mouth towards Miroku, hoping to ensnare him.

Quickly jumping to a safer distance, he threw a few ofuda towards the webbing, which then crackled wildly with the spiritual power as the webs withered into nothing.

Sango eyed the enemy, flinging her Hiraikotsu towards him. Takumi barely dodged the flying weapon and ordered his followers to attack.

Kagome, with her spirit ready to fight again aimed her bow and arrow to the group of spiders and fired. Bursts of purifying energy flew through the air, piercing the spider youkai, fatally killing them.

Takumi looked mildly impressed.

"Well now, I didn't know you were a miko. Good for _you _eh, houshi-san? I better get serious then."

Miroku, who was usually calm in situations such as these, decided there and then, that he was not to be made fun of. He gave a quick glance towards Sango telling her that they would kill him quickly.

Sango called to Kirara, and jumped on. The large neko charged towards the youkai, sharp fangs showing.

Takumi hissed and shot white sticky silk from his mouth aiming for the youkai exterminator, which she only just managed to avoid.

Creating the spinning force for her weapon, she flung it directly towards the enemy hoping to get a direct hit.

However, he had jumped using the webbing to launch himself towards the neko and landed squarely onto Kirara's back without any difficulty.

Kagome continued to fire her arrows towards the spiders, but they had begun to move faster, darting this way and that making it difficult for the miko to take direct aim.

It was by chance that she had noticed that Takumi had jumped and landed onto Kirara. Kagome could also see his arm begin to transform, and now was shaped like a large fang, dripping with poison.

Her eyes widened, but did not hesitate to take careful aim.

Kirara hissed in pain as the liquid fell onto her back. She tried in vain to shake the youkai off but feared that her master might fall off too.

Takumi held on with perfect balance, as he raised his fang-like arm to attack and slashed downwards at rapid speed.

Sango quickly withdrew her ninja-to and blocked his arm from attacking.

The fang and Sango's ninja-to were held in a fierce deadlock, and both refused to give in.

Kagome aimed her arrow at Takumi and fired, knowing that the arrow would not miss. Pure light flashed through the sky as it made contact with the youkai and instantaneously, the youkai was no more.

Sango had closed her eyes tightly just in time before she could be blinded by the light.

As the miko relaxed her arms, Kagome had to blink a few times in wonderment. _Did I do that?_

"Wow, that was amazing Kagome-sama!" Kohaku said as he wiped out the remaining youkai with his kusari-gama, with the assistance of Miroku who used his ofuda and shakujou against the humanoid spiders.

Miroku smiled at the miko. "Yes it was Kagome-sama; I have never seen such power." Then he frowned, "He certainly was most annoying, accusing me of being this houshi who travels around with women and children."

"Houshi-sama," Sango said, almost having the urge laugh. "That's not far from the truth. I mean you are a houshi and are travelling with women and children…, well sort of. I think he got confused like we did when we were trying to find him."

Everyone laughed.

Except Miroku, whose face had become a little downhearted, "Sango my dear, how could you be so cruel?" He carefully grasped her hands and the exterminator could clearly see the hurt in his eyes and she felt immediately guilty.

"That mistake could have cost my life."

Sango's guilt grew and with a low soothing voice, she said. "Please houshi-sama, it was only a joke, I didn't mean it."

Miroku nodded dejectedly and then with an unexpected swiftness, embraced Sango and said in a low suave tone making her blush, "Oh Sango, I know you wouldn't do that. But I…feel that it is best if we slept together tonight. I would be in your arms as you…"

A loud slap was heard throughout the village.

The exterminator clenched her teeth as she moved away from Miroku and his wandering hand.

"I can't believe I would fall for that trick." She was about to say more when she heard an unfamiliar sound.

It was laughter, but it was laughter coming from the most unlikely person.

It was Kohaku.

Sango blinked and blinked again. And her brother was still laughing.

"K-Kohaku…?" She asked unsurely wondering if she was seeing an illusion, and yet she smiled.

The smile was still on his face as he handed her a small shell containing ointment to which Sango and Miroku looked at him in puzzlement.

"Use this on Kirara's fur. It'll make her feel better." He wiped a tear from his eye from laughter, but the smile never vanished.

Sango looked at his younger brother, a bit more than confused. She never could remember the last time when Kohaku would laugh so cheerily. He had always been a shy and timid boy.

And now…and now, well what should she think?

But she knew one thing; the change in her younger brother was, if not so remarkable that she began to wonder what had happened to Kohaku all those years ago to have caused such an alteration of his personality.

As she delicately rubbed the ointment onto Kirara's fur, the smile on Kohaku's face never left her mind. She knew she should be happy, and she was, though one question really annoyed her: _How?_

Other matters came into her mind that also bothered her.

Sango glanced towards Kagome from the corner of her eye and knew that the miko was, to put it mildly, pissed off. And somehow the exterminator knew that no amount of convincing on their part would be tolerated by the younger girl.

They had never expected for Kagome to react the way she did, and they had never seen the miko so angry before.

They had been right, hadn't they? It had not been an illusion; it _was _him, wasn't it? Miroku, Shippou and herself had clearly seen it with their own eyes.

But why would Kagome refuse to believe them?

And at that point, even though Sango wasn't exactly too sure what it was, but she had the impression that something strange was going on, very strange…

* * *

Author's notes -

kurasi-gama - sickle and chain

Hiraikotsu - Sango's giant boomerang

ninja-to - Sango's short sword

ofuda - paper charms

shakujou - Miroku's staff

kitsune - fox

* * *

Until next time... 


	34. Chapter 34

Inuyasha (manga and anime) belong to Takahashi-san

* * *

The Journey Home – Chapter Thirty Four 

Acres of green fields, filled with a variety of wild flowers of many colours, created a picture of tranquillity. The sunshine was warm as its light gracefully touched the lands. The scents of the wild flowers filled the air with its faint sweet fragrance that reached the sensitive nose of a certain person, who felt that today was one of those days where it was permitted to be lazy.

He lay idly in the tall lush grass, clothed in pure white silk that was patterned with blue decorative designs.

Inuyasha watched the clouds as they floated serenely across the blue sky, while his mind was filled with hazy thoughts centred on a certain young woman who always had the habit of distracting him in the most...

He sighed almost dreamingly. It had only been yesterday since he had last seen her and yet, he missed her already.

The hanyou sat up suddenly at that very instant and had to respire in and out slowly to calm his nerves. He then heaved a sigh as he collapsed back onto the grass, his heart still beating rapidly at the unexpected flashback. He was not sure why that sudden thought had come into his mind, after all that had occurred in the past, had it not?

_Kagome would still be there when I get back, won't she?_

Of course Kagome would still be there. Her scent, her appearance, her voice, all of it was real, he was sure of it.

_She wasn't a dream, _Inuyasha thought with assertion, and then he smiled a little, _she wasn't a dream._

He closed his eyes and this time imagined a great Japanese-styled castle, filled with many rooms and staircases. It would be constructed with the finest and strongest of wood and paper. And on the outside would be the place for a beautiful garden, lined with sakura trees that would lead up towards the entrance of the main house. The castle itself would be magnificent in style and elegance, envy to all others, youkai and humans.

Inuyasha opened his eyes.

His older brother had chosen a good location this time, and the hanyou was thinking up plans for building it. It would be a castle fit for a tai-youkai like Sesshoumaru.

That meant it had to be big, very big, and colour coordinated according to his brother's exact specifications.

It was a big assignment, but the hanyou was willing to accomplish the task as he had promised his brother that one would be built. Inuyasha knew that it would take up his whole life time to try and repay the tai-youkai; nevertheless, it was a debt he was willing to pay.

* * *

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"Did you really have to do that?" Sesshoumaru asked the next day during evening time, as he eyed his brother with severe scrutiny.

Inuyasha matched his glare, with a vacant gaze, which did not go disregarded by Sesshoumaru.

_There's that look again._

He had actually hoped that Inuyasha's bizarre woman would have more or less cured his perplexing behaviour, and he was almost grateful when he did see hints of the hanyou's more arrogant mannerisms.

However, there had been some small 'incident' which resulted in the return of Inuyasha's disturbingly quiet demeanour, which Sesshoumaru did not like at all.

* * *

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It had occurred earlier that day, during an official meeting with the youkai leaders of the neighbouring regions, discussing plans about land ownership and the trading of commodities and services.

It had been obvious that the hanyou had not gone unnoticed, as he sat next to Sesshoumaru. He could clearly hear the whispers and see the questioning eyes of the other youkai during the discussions. He had glanced towards his younger brother, who did not seem to notice the murmurs at all, and only looked on with bored fascination.

Other than that, all had gone well enough, if it were not for that one ill-bred youkai, who had spoken out during their meeting.

This particular youkai had slammed a fist into the ground and then glared harshly towards the hanyou.

"_Why, may I ask,"_ he had hissed under his breath. _"Is that filthy hanyou here? He should not be allowed here."_

The murmuring voices grew in volume as the question was brought forth towards Sesshoumaru.

The tai-youkai's expression did not change as he had replied coolly, _"Does he trouble you?"_

All eyes had then turned back towards the youkai who had spoken out on their behalf, and anticipated for his response.

"_Yes, that _thing _does trouble me; I do not know why I have to sit here to only be revolted by his presence. And there is another matter." _He had said while his eyes still held an intimidating scowl. _"I have been hearing rumours about this Shikon no Tama and some kind of houshi who carries it. However, it is common knowledge that this _hanyou _was collecting them before. Is there by any chance," _his scowl had turned into a wicked smile, _"that you are this _houshi_ who has been collecting the jewel shards?" _He had then leaned forward with a knowing smirk on his face.

Astonishment had registered across the faces of the youkai who sat in-between Sesshoumaru and the rebelling youkai.

"_That is impossible," _one youkai had replied.

"_We did not sense anything from the boy," _another had said.

This time all eyes had fallen onto Inuyasha as they waited for his reply, but they were hoping that that they would be able to kill him for hiding such a highly precious jewel.

Inuyasha had only sighed in defeat and then smiled with humour in his eyes.

"_How did you know?" _He had said as he pulled out a chain from around his neck.

The jewel had sparkled, and its dark glow could be seen by all.

Sesshoumaru looked on disbelievingly at the hanyou who had openly displayed the Shikon no Tama. _What are you thinking?! _

It was then, that he had observed that the jewel did not glow its usual colour, and his eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"_It is a very beautiful jewel, is it not? _The hanyou had said calmly, too calmly. _"Yes, I am the one collecting it." _

The smile on Inuyasha's face did not vanish, in fact it only grew wider, but it was the sort of smile that was cat-like and his eyes had seemed to darken with an unknown and yet malevolent power. His voice had also become strange, smooth and composed, and yet Sesshoumaru could almost detect another voice, a voice that spoke with vicious undertones.

"_The Shikon no Tama can grant one's desire and it can grant yours. It can give you power beyond the gods. But you cannot have it, because it belongs to me…"_

The rebelling youkai had become noticeably enraged by the hanyou's comment, as he gripped his knees in irritation. Though, he did show some forced restraint, as it was dishonourable to speak so uncouthly in the presence of the tai-youkai. To rudely speak out, meant the punishment by death.

A faint tinkling sound could be heard, and everyone had looked down to find a small pink jewel rolling innocently towards the youkai.

His eyes had shot up towards the hanyou in cautious scepticism.

"_You want it, do you not? I can see it in your eyes. Take it, if you wish."_

Sesshoumaru looked on, from the youkai, then to his brother in interest. It had only been a few times he had seen his brother speak in this manner, as if he were possessed by some spirit, how or why, he did not know. But perhaps today, he would find out some answers.

The youkai cautiously picked up the jewel and felt the warmth in the palm of his hand. _Is it real? _He then could hear someone laughing and he looked towards the sound of the voice.

All he saw was the hanyou's smiling face, except it was a smile that almost made him shiver in fear.

He had tried to drop the jewel but found that he could not let go of it, and had begun to slightly panic.

"_Fool, as if I_ _would give the _real _jewel to someone like you…" _And then, he laughed.

The youkai's eyes had widened in horror as the 'jewel' in his hand had exploded, causing shards of glass to become lodged into the skin of his face. He had run out of the meeting screaming in intense pain, as the pieces of glass were still hot as it burnt the flesh.

The other youkai that were left in the meeting could only stare in horror as the scene unfolded before them, not really believing the turn of events.

They only had a few moments of silence, when suddenly Inuyasha gripped his clothes in visible, intense pain.

The others sat back as they could feel the immediate surge of the hanyou's youki as its energies seem to lash out at them, causing deep trenches into the ground.

In an instant the youki had vanished, replaced by a sudden purifying energy, and with a terrible yell, Inuyasha had collapsed onto the ground.

* * *

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"Do what?" Inuyasha said, bringing Sesshoumaru out of his reverie.

Sesshoumaru sighed and readied his position to a more strategic point, "That was quite the display you showed, having a fake jewel explode in his face. But not everyone seems too happy about it."

He glanced at the hanyou again pondering if the jewel had affected him in some way to make him act like he did previously. Was it probable that he had been possessed or even cursed by the Shikon no Tama? The answer had still eluded him. "That jewel is such a menace."

"Mmmn…," Inuyasha replied, not really paying much attention to the conversation. In fact, when he had woken up, he felt light-headed and could not remember much of what had previously happened.

Inuyasha shook his head in attempt to drive away his dizziness, thinking that perhaps, it was nothing of great importance anyway.

Besides, there were more urgent matters to think about, matters that would cause his older brother to personally call for him.

"Sesshoumaru-san, must we do this now? I thought you said that this was _urgent_ business." The hanyou said, not knowing exactly why he was supposed to be here.

"It is, for too long you have been without a proper fight." He said this as he lowered his white stone onto the Go board.

Inuyasha nearly rolled his eyes, however he had to concentrate on the game.

Picking up the black stone for his next move, he devised a perfect strategy to 'overthrow' his brother. The hanyou smiled and placed the stone next to his enemy's white one and then waited for his brother's move in an almost bored anticipation.

The tai-youkai only had to glance down at the board to know he was in trouble; his bastard half-brother was going to win if he was not careful. He fingered the white stone delicately, while thinking of a solution to defeat his opponent.

He edged the piece closer to the board.

"Do not even think about it _aniki," _Inuyasha said smoothly without once glancing at him. "I will not be distracted by your 'other' games."

No expression came onto the tai-youkai's face as he said nonchalantly, "You dare to say I cheat?"

The hanyou did not reply, however he narrowed his eyes in scrutiny at the youkai who sat opposite of him.

Sesshoumaru closed his eyes in mild exasperation and was about to make his move when his quick eyes noticed something in the distance. "I thought I saw something."

"What…where, I don't see anything." Inuyasha replied, immediately peering behind his back, scanning the area for any enemies.

He then realised his mistake, as he widened his eyes in horror and darted his eyes back to find the triumphant smirk on the tai-youkai's face.

Inuyasha looked down at the small wooden table used for the Go game, and found that somehow his brother had moved the small stones around in such a lethally silent and efficient manner that now—

…there was no real point in explaining the situation, and it caused the hanyou to groan in defeat.

Sesshoumaru had won the game, yet again, and not necessarily by honourable means either.

"You are just too gullible Inuyasha." He said as he cleared the board once again, preventing any further discussion. "You have to learn not to get too distracted in a real battle, or it could have disastrous consequences."

Inuyasha irritably drummed his fingers on his knee. "I can't help it."

The tai-youkai's smirk seemed to only grow wider, "It has _only _been two days since you have last seen her, and you miss her _already_?"

That comment caused the hanyou's face to go quite red as he mumbled under his breath, "Oh shut up."

* * *

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In the middle of the night, Kagome lay on her futon, wide awake. The reunion with Sango, Miroku and Shippou had made her feel exhausted, but when she had retired for the night she found herself unable to fall asleep, much less feel the mood to.

She turned to one side to get into a more comfortable position, no. She turned to the other side, and it felt worse than before.

Kagome finally gave up in frustration, and so, she stalked outside for some time to think.

The night was cold and still, with stars twinkling beautifully from above. She had always admired the stars, how they would fill up the night sky, and she had missed those times where she was able to see so many, so long ago.

She remembered one time, where she had coaxed the hanyou to watch the stars with her and he had reluctantly agreed. As they lay there, Kagome had timidly tried to bring up her courage to ask him if he had wanted to spend some time with her in the modern era. But she only heard a mumble as a response, and she had turned to face the hanyou, to find that he was, fast asleep.

The miko had rolled her eyes as she watched his face as he snored softly.

Kagome had then noticed that with no usual scowl on his face, Inuyasha looked quite young. She had edged closer towards him and began tracing a finger along his cheeks and hair, feeling the smooth textures.

There was a sudden jerking motion as Inuyasha got up into a sitting position and scratched his forehead in irritation.

"_Stupid fly,"_ he had muttered, plonking himself back onto the grass, rolling to his side, and falling asleep again.

Kagome had felt her heart beating wildly as she realised she could have been caught staring at the hanyou. And the compromising position she had been could have made her face permanently red from embarrassment.

"The stars are beautiful Kagome-chan."

"Eh…?" Was she hearing things?

"The stars…" It was Sango, who sounded a little depressed.

"Oh, stars…yes, what about them?" Kagome said, feeling her heart pounding faster against her chest from being brought back to reality so unexpectedly.

Sango laughed rather half-heartily, looking at the stars as well. "Oh…it's nothing."

Nothing was said between the two women for a while as they looked at the stars as a diversion, instead of gazing at them for their beauty.

Sango couldn't stand the silence any longer as she hesitantly cleared her throat to speak.

"It was the truth…of what we saw. It was him. And we all left him. I've seen you hurt so many times when he goes to see Kikyou, that…that it felt good when we taught him a lesson. I hated him so much for abandoning you each time."

"And did it help when you drove him away?" Kagome asked quietly, refusing to make eye contact with the older girl. It still had hurt to look at any of them at the moment. Sango violently shook her head and answered in a whisper, "No…it didn't."

"What would you do…if you saw him again?"

The exterminator looked away with a hint of shame. "I don't know."

* * *

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Miroku watched discreetly through the window of the hut, observing the conversation between Sango and Kagome, and knew that the miko would not forgive them so easily.

But he had already known from the start that Kagome would react the way she did, when they had accused Inuyasha of betraying them. And even though they did see him blocking the well, had it really been the truth?

That thought had plagued him for years, especially now, ever since Kagome had told them quite stridently: _"Oh, how convenient for all of you to see Inuyasha blocking the well, wasn't it nice to be at the right place at the right time."_

And the houshi felt that it had been all too convenient. As Kagome had put it, they were all at the right place at the right time.

Miroku knew that he would not sleep well tonight.

* * *

Author's notes 

youki - youkai energy

'Go' is a game played in Japan as a past-time, where the goal is to capture the opponent's black/white stone. As seen in 'Hikaru no Go' (I think)

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Enjoying the story so far? Why not send a review? Any comments are appreciated. 

Until next time...


	35. Chapter 35

Inuyasha (manga and anime) belong to Takahashi-san

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The Journey Home – Chapter Thirty Five 

_Inuyasha, _a female voice called to him. _Are you alright? I nearly lost you then. The power of the youkai is strong, I'm afraid._

"Yes," he replied monotonously. "What should I do now, Midoriko-sama?"

_I can sense some jewel fragments in the direction of the village. I think it would be wise to go there now._

"As you wish," he replied, feeling the sudden pulsing energy emanate from the Shikon no Tama which lay hidden under the folds of his kimono.

"Where are you going now, Inuyasha?" Sesshoumaru asked as he saw his hanyou brother walking into the forest in an almost trance-like state.

"I am leaving now Sesshoumaru-san." He replied quietly as he gradually vanished into the darkness, and for a small moment, Sesshoumaru thought he had seen an apparition of a woman.

_What was that?_

* * *

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"Ginta, Hakkaku those bastards," Kouga grumbled as he raced along the country side. Somehow that houshi was able to elude him again, and he had the notion that those two wolves he called comrades were hiding something from him.

He cursed under his breath.

How could one stupid human keep himself hidden for so long?

Kouga suppressed a sneeze as the winds started to tickle at his nose again. _Stupid powder, I'll kill that person who made me smell that awful stuff_.

Ever since that night he had accidentally smelt the fumes from the very suspicious powder, it had paralysed his sense of smell, made him sneeze for days _and_, most importantly, he had lost track of Kagome, making him start all over again.

And there was another thing. Kai, who had joined his pack with his brother Shinta a while back, was acting a bit too strange for his liking. There were times when the light-blue haired boy would disappear for quite a while and when he was questioned as to where he had gone, he had simply shrugged and would say he had been looking for a mate.

But Kouga was beginning to suspect that was not Kai's true intentions.

He paused in his running to sniff the air, trying to determine what direction to take.

"Kouga, wait for us!"

The ookami leader sighed. It was Ginta and Hakkaku running breathlessly towards him. Sometimes they were so hopeless. He did do better alone anyway. Their bumbling had cost him a lot of annoyances.

"Don't follow me if you're going to be slow!" He called out.

Ginta and Hakkaku finally reached him, panting heavily from the run, while the other wolves that followed them were in not much better condition. They too had been unfortunate enough to be affected by the powder. And running with a blocked nose was not the best combination.

"What are you looking for Kouga?" Ginta asked in between breaths.

"She is not a 'what'."

"Oh…" Ginta said and he understood.

"Besides," Koga began, "its hard finding her with a blocked nose."

Ginta and Hakkaku stifled a laugh. Kouga had still not recovered from the stink powder and he didn't look like he was going to recover too soon either. They hoped that his blocked nose would keep him away from a potentially raging miko.

"Although, my sense of _hearing_ is still good, isn't it?"

The two wolves ceased in their snickering and looked to their leader.

Kouga smelt the air again and a soft delicate scent whiffed into his nose. His eyes widened and pointed towards the horizon.

"That way," and off he ran, a whirlwind of dust trailing behind him.

The pack was left behind again, and they all sighed miserably as they began to try and catch up to their leader once again.

Ginta and Hakkaku only hoped that Kagome was not too angry at them.

* * *

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Kagome paced up and down, looking towards the horizon every few minutes. "He's late."

Rin and Kohaku were sitting on a picnic blanket watching the miko as she paced up and down, both not too worried about the whole situation.

Three days had passed, and there was still no sign of the inu-hanyou in question.

"He said two or three days. Now it's the third day and it's almost evening time. Where can he be?" She carried on, looking rather worried now.

Kohaku tried to calm the girl down. "Don't worry Kagome-sama; I'm sure he's alright. Sesshoumaru-sama did call him for urgent business."

_Urgent business my arse, _Kagome thought,_ I bet their having a good time, drinking sake and playing games for all I know_. But she knew it was probably the wrong notion anyway. Sesshoumaru was not the type to enjoy games, let alone have a good time.

Kagome shivered, it would be scary though if he did.

"His brother of his, has always been such a…," but she didn't dare say any rude words in front of Rin. Kagome did not want to face the consequences for doing so. "He's always giving Inuyasha trouble."

* * *

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Jaken could lay claim that he was Sesshoumaru's most loyal servant, so loyal in fact, that whenever a bad word was said about his Lord, it was Jaken who would sneeze in his place.

And he did, three times.

* * *

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Rin giggled. "Don't worry Kagome-sama; Rin is sure that Sesshoumaru-sama won't give any trouble to inu-no oji-chan. They're brothers aren't they?"

Kagome sighed while looking at Rin, who looked back at the miko with sweet innocence. "You know, you are lucky that you are so cute Rin-chan." She said as she sat on the blanket next to the two young teenagers.

After a while, Kagome saw Shippou coming up from the fields to join their company. He had grown a lot, but still maintained a mischievous air around him. But right now though, his youthful face appeared troubled and he had a hard time looking at her.

Shippou plonked himself on the grass, his shoulders slumping.

"I'm sorry," he began, "for saying those things to you." Shippou said, nervously twisting his clawed fingers.

"I think it is better if you apologise to Inuyasha." She replied.

Kagome saw that Shippou had fallen silent for a while and then saw a spark of anger in his green eyes.

"But why should I apologise to him? He's always hurting your feelings, always running off to Kikyou like that." Then he mumbled quietly. "I'm glad you used that 'sit' spell over him, he deserved it, after what he had put you through. I hoped that you would have made him go away. And leave us alone." Shippou then realised his mistake and quickly shut his mouth.

Kagome's eyes widened at Shippou's words. "What do you mean; you wanted him to 'leave us alone'?"

But Shippou refused to meet her gaze from having said too much.

Kohaku narrowed his eyes dangerously at the kitsune but did not say anything, for now.

"If you say so Shippou-chan," Kagome sighed, not wanting to make Shippou uncomfortable if he didn't want to talk about it. "But you have to think of the consequences of your actions."

Shippou fell silent again, not knowing what to say. For the first time in his life, he had never felt so uncomfortable around Kagome. He hadn't meant to say those words and now he couldn't take those words back.

A small tear fell down his cheek and Shippou tried to hurriedly wipe it away.

However, Kagome had already noticed the droplet of water that stained his cheek, and so she lightly patted his back in attempt to calm him down, while the kitsune leaned onto Kagome's shoulder to find what little comfort she had to offer, even though he knew it was very little.

Maybe Kagome didn't notice the whirlwind of dust and leaves heading straight for her, nor did she notice a very enraged ookami.

Kagome's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, _I can sense shards of the jewel?!_

* * *

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Kouga stood in front of Kagome, arms crossed over his broad chest and tapping his foot impatiently. How dare another male youkai try to steal a hug from the lovely Kagome! He rudely cleared his throat. It was taking every bit of his patience to not rip the head off the rival male.

Kagome only realised then that it was Kouga who was staring intently at her, or more specifically, at the slightly tearful Shippou.

She had a bad feeling about this.

"Hello Kouga-kun. What a surprise to see you here." Kagome said dismissively.

"Why is that…that male thing holding you?" He said with strained malice.

Kagome was not one to be threatened. "Oh, him, you remember Shippou-chan right? The little kitsune," she said pleasantly.

Kouga almost face faulted, "Him, the short runt with a bushy tail?"

Shippou huffed, "I'm not a short runt with a bushy tail."

Kagome unfazed by the argument, still talked pleasantly, as her words started to drip with honey. "Please Shippou-chan; don't interrupt my nice conversation with Kouga-kun."

Shippou slowly scooted his bottom to a safer distance, not liking the way Kagome talked with honey soaked pleasantness. The end result was always nasty.

So he hid behind Kohaku who, himself hid behind Rin, who looked on with clueless fascination.

Kagome continued to smile at Kouga, all the while thinking that she had been talking to a brick wall.

"It doesn't matter now. I have better things to talk to you about anyway." He said this as he noticed that Shippou had removed himself from Kagome's presence, and he smirked. "Surely you have heard news about this houshi? It would be wise if you would join up with me," he paused as he looked around, "since you haven't found that filthy hanyou yet."

Rin covered Kohaku's mouth before he could say anything that he might regret.

"And why would I want to help you Kouga-kun?" Kagome said.

"This houshi is dangerous. I've heard that he would kill anyone who possesses a piece of the jewel. If you help me kill him, I promise that you will rule by my side."

Kagome removed her hands that were being held by Kouga.

"Thanks for the offer, but I have to decline."

"What, why!?" he said as he gripped her shoulders. "I won't abandon you like that inukkoro."

"Kouga that is enough, there is no need for those words." Miroku said calmly as he and Sango walked up towards them.

"What would you know bonzu? I know you've all abandoned him. Good for you. He deserved it."

"Yes," Miroku said with a hint of regret in his tone, "I know." He pulled out his ofuda. "But if you hurt Kagome-sama in anyway. I would never be able to face him again."

Kouga was about to say more, when his quick reflexes caught something small before it managed to hit his face, and he opened his hand to find it was a small rock. He glared at the direction the rock was thrown and was somewhat surprised to see that it was a young human boy who had the gall to throw it.

"It's disrespectful to harass a woman _Kouga_," Kohaku jibed getting ready to throw another rock. "If he knew about it, he would not be very happy."

"Hello Kagome nee-san…" Ginta and Hakkaku panted heavily in relief as they eventually caught up to their leader.

"Ginta, Hakkaku, we're leaving now. We're going to search for that houshi," Kouga said leaving no room for argument. There was something he did not like about the boy's tone. It had eerily reminded him of someone else.

"What?!" both ookami cried out, "We just got here…"

But their ookami leader had already left leaving a powerful whirlwind behind.

"Kagome-chan, are you alright?" Sango asked worriedly after the dust had settled.

"Yeah," she answered shakily, "But I'm beginning to worry about that houshi."

"Do you mean me Kagome-sama?" Miroku asked with a humorous laughter in his eyes, although he knew already she was not referring to him. He wondered why the conversation with Kouga had made her suddenly so nervous. _Is it possible that she is hiding something from us?_

Sango rolled her eyes and smacked Miroku lightly on the head, "Of course not houshi-sama." However Sango could not help but think about the exact same thing as the houshi was thinking. And there was one more question that nagged her. _What did Kohaku mean when he said 'he'? _

* * *

Like the story so far? Why not send a review? 

Exams are coming up soon so I won't get the chance to post another chapter until two weeks later.

Until next time...


	36. Chapter 36

Inuyasha (manga and anime) are owned by Takahashi-san

* * *

The Journey Home – Chapter Thirty Six 

The half moon shone down in the middle of the night, casting an eerie light amongst the trees and grassy fields. Hidden by the shadows, two sets of piercing amber coloured eyes flickered against the dim light, proof of whatever or whoever lay hidden in the forest, watching and waiting.

Inuyasha sat motionless on a branch overlooking the moonlit fields, waiting patiently for his next victim. There was news of a rampaging bear which had destroyed numerous villages and killed many an unlucky traveller. The hanyou figured that this normally harmless youkai had succumbed to the power of one of the jewel fragments, but he had wondered why and how the bear was able to possess such a piece.

He smiled cruelly, was someone trying to locate him?

_It must be those houshi again. _He had to remain alert, as the same group had been nothing but a nuisance ever since the day he had started collecting the jewel fragments again. Inuyasha would not allow the jewel to fall into their hands.

_They are not worthy of the Shikon no Tama… _

"Inuyasha-sama," a small voice shouted to him. "Inuyasha-sama, are you listening to me?"

Myoga sighed; it had become more difficult to gain his master's attention, as the hanyou had somehow fallen into a trance-like state, and whatever Myoga tried to do didn't seem to help him snap out of it. And the flea did not like the blackness that had seemed to creep into his eyes over the past few days.

He would have to do something about it.

"You never appreciate me Inuyasha-sama…" And off he went in tears, having already known that danger was coming. Myoga could not help running away from danger, what could he do in his tiny size?

"Something is coming." Sesshoumaru stated casually, watching the hanyou jump down gracefully from high up in the trees.

They both turned their heads as a fierce roar reverberated through the still night, and was rapidly coming closer towards them.

Inuyasha readied the weapon that was fastened to his obi. The monstrous bear charged at the hanyou with immense speed, aided by the fragment of the jewel. Inuyasha narrowed his eyes, sensing for the jewel fragment, and found that it was implanted in the bear's forehead.

The youkai made a swipe with its large clawed paw, narrowly missing the hanyou as he jumped aside. The bear skidded to a halt, grass and dirt spraying in different directions caused by the impact. The youkai got ready to charge again, turning its whole body to face the hanyou, eyes glowing crimson and snarling with rage.

Inuyasha drew out his weapon, this time a tessen and gripped it like a club.

The bear growled viciously, with sharp fangs bared and mouth drooling with madness, and charged again with increased speed.

Inuyasha was ready, as he stepped back and connected the tessen to the back of the bear's head with a terrific whack.

The bear fell with a sickening thud.

Replacing the tessen with the dagger, he carefully cut out the offending jewel, leaving minimal traces of blood from his incision. The glow of the bear's eyes disappeared and returned to their usual soft brown, and Inuyasha left the youkai to rest in its slumber.

"I thought you were going to kill it." The tai-youkai commented while observing the unconscious bear.

However the hanyou did not answer and Sesshoumaru was beginning to suspect that either, Inuyasha was ignoring him, or that something else was going on. The tai-youkai nearly sighed. Even from when the day he was born, Inuyasha had always had the annoying habit of irritating him.

"Did you say something Sesshoumaru-san?" Inuyasha asked.

"I want to punch you on the mouth, otouto." He answered slightly exasperated.

As a reply, Inuyasha blinked his vacant eyes back at him.

He was about to say more, when Sesshoumaru's sensitive hearing picked up a faint whistling sound. He smirked as he raised his fist and struck Inuyasha's face with a powerful blow, throwing the hanyou off balance and into the nearby bushes.

It took a while for Inuyasha to recover from the punch. His hand reached up to feel the damage and he looked accusingly at his older brother. However Sesshoumaru's frosty amber gaze told him one thing: 'Run'.

Inuyasha picked himself up and silently thanked Sesshoumaru, still feeling slightly dizzy from the impact as he stumbled off.

* * *

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The group of houshi had tracked the hanyou down to a field where the youkai bear was running in a mad rampaging state. They had hoped to trap the hanyou with one of their more powerful barriers. This time they would get him.

Their leader was known as Katashi, a tall, middle-aged man, who was dressed according to his status as a houshi. Being the eldest, he held years of wisdom, and was envied by all. It was an honour and privilege to become one of his apprentices, if one had the privilege. He knew all this and his stride showed it too. However this time he had to really prove to the others that he was still capable of handling dangerous youkai, hanyou no less.

Katashi snorted, this hanyou was proving very difficult to catch. Somehow he was always able to elude him. He could only conclude that this creature was using the power of the Shikon no Tama to increase his own demonic power. No beast was pure enough to use the jewel in that manner. Once he killed that hanyou, he would take the jewel for himself.

Only a pure human such as himself was capable of handling such a jewel.

In the distance he could see a tall figure with long white hair that flowed like silk. Katashi smiled rather unkindly. It was that hanyou; he knew it in his blood, after so long he was finally able to get rid of that nuisance.

His followers had also seen the hanyou's presence, yet they felt their footsteps becoming less determined as they came closer.

They all glanced towards their leader for guidance, to which he just marched on straight ahead, ready and unwavering with his task. Everyone readied their ofuda and prayer beads and without hesitation, they swiftly surrounded the beast, poised to attack when necessary.

The hanyou did not move.

Katashi smirked; he knew that this hanyou had always kept his face hidden from view, so Katashi was not exactly sure what he looked like, but this time his luck had run out. Now he was going to face his true appearance.

"Hanyou," he commanded, "it looks like we will finally kill you."

The hanyou slowly turned around, deliberately showing the houshi his face and his piercing golden eyes. The younger houshi immediately felt a shiver of pure fear and they shakily stood back.

"Stand your ground everyone. He is not to be feared. He is just a hanyou." Katashi commanded again fingering his ofuda for the purifying presence.

Delicately running a hand through his hair, the 'hanyou' smiled, a rare smile, a smile that was cruel and intimidating.

It was the kind of smile Jaken feared the most.

Katashi's followers shakily stood back further still as their prisoner continued to smile in a rather disturbing manner. But he still had not spoken a word, instead he raised his clawed hand, his fingertips glowing green.

One of the younger apprentices said quite shakily, "His a-aura is different. He can't be the hanyou."

"Silence, he _is_ the hanyou! Create the barrier! I will not be tricked by him again." Katashi shouted.

The houshi grabbed their ofuda and chanted a spell, encircling the victim in a strange blue light.

He did not flinch; instead his chilling voice seemed to echo in the night:

"You dare to purify _this_ Sesshoumaru?"

The winds picked up rapidly as he spoke, his youki energies swirling and lashing out around the houshi. However the barrier did not waver.

The tai-youkai's eyes turned a vicious red as he prepared to flick his wrist and unleash the venomous doukasou to dispose the pitiful humans.

Then unexpectedly, a massive explosion erupted not too far away, causing immediate panic and confusion amongst the houshi. Another explosion was heard and the barrier spell was instantaneously broken as the younger houshi fled the scene in comical disorder.

Sesshoumaru decided it was best to quietly leave and he disappeared into the shadows, leaving Katashi to unsuccessfully call back his followers. He watched from the darkness as the leader left in temporary defeat, nevertheless he knew that this group were not to be taken lightly.

Humans were always such a nuisance.

* * *

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A pure white shape darted effortlessly through the forest and across the open fields, quick and ghost-like. It continued to run with swiftness, jumping high narrowly missing the farmers who had woken up early to tend the rice paddies. The farmers stared wide-eyed at the rapidly disappearing ghost. They shook their heads, wondering if it had been an overdose of sake.

Another part of the forest soon came up in the horizon and the white figure felt a wave of anticipation. However it glided to a halt, testing the air, feeling for any suspicious auras and scents. The face of the figure smiled, it could sense the presence of jewel shards coming closer.

* * *

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Kouga, with his usual quick speed was running as usual across the open fields. It was a random direction, he thought, but he hadn't heard any rumours about the elusive houshi or any news about the Shikon no Tama. It was more difficult than trying to find Naraku, if he was still alive. But there was no news of him either.

Kouga swore in irritation, why did things never go in his favour?

The ookami reached the fields where the tall grasses and flowers grew and with one bound, he jumped across the long grass and continued to run. Picking up speed he sprinted along and he almost didn't pick up an unusual scent, almost. He immediately stopped in his tracks and breathed in deeply, hoping to catch this particular scent. Kouga scrunched his nose in disgust. He wasn't quite sure what this scent was. It had the foul scent of incense. It was strange and oddly familiar and he looked around for any sudden movements.

Nothing…

Kouga shook his head and tried again, only failing to determine what kind of scent it was. Whatever it was, Kouga found that it had no importance to him. He pushed himself forward creating another whirlwind that violently pushed the grasses apart, and off he went.

The figure hiding in the grass left as well, unnoticed.

* * *

Author's notes - 

tessen - fan made of wood or metal that may be used as a weapon (like Kagura)

otouto - younger brother

youki - youkai energy

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I'm so sorry for the delay everyone. 

Until next time...


	37. Chapter 37

Inuyasha (manga and anime) belong to Takahashi-san

* * *

The Journey Home – Chapter Thirty Seven 

_A whole week! _

Kagome was getting worried. The young woman knew that he would be alright, he was a hanyou after all, but that didn't stop the fact that there were enemies hunting for him, and not just the usual youkai, but houshi and miko as well, who thought that Inuyasha was unworthy to carry the Shikon no Tama. Kagome bit her lip, that thought alone made her worry more.

"You're worried about him Kagome-sama?" Kohaku asked. His usual youthful face was set in a frown. "He should have sent a message by now."

"I'm going to look for him," the miko said and was about to leave when she was stopped by the boy exterminator.

"No, you can't, they will become suspicious if you suddenly leave."

Kagome frowned and bit her lip again in irritation, "I can say that I'm going to look for Inuyasha."

"No!" Kohaku said rather forcibly which surprised her. "Please, Kagome-sama," he pleaded, "don't say anything to them."

The miko opened her mouth to say something, but then closed it again, not knowing the reason behind his sudden outburst. It sounded as if he was frightened. And after some thought, perhaps she would have been frightened about that too.

Who knew what Sango, Miroku or even Shippou would do if they would ever meet with Inuyasha again.

It was best if she did not think about that at the moment.

"It would be lucky if they ask to go shard hunting again." Kagome sighed with a shrug of her shoulders as they walked towards Kaede's hut.

Inside Kaede's hut, they found that the old miko was addressing a much younger miko who sat in front of her, while sitting to one side of the hut was Sango and Miroku, and the other side sat Shippou and Rin. Kagome also noticed that Shippou was trying to impress Rin with one of his kitsune magic tricks.

Kohaku sat down next to Rin and gave a strange look towards the other boy.

"Try not to cause trouble with your magic tricks, Shippou."

The kitsune narrowed his eyes at the boy exterminator, but one look from Rin's sugary smile stopped his retort and he was forced to remain silent for a while. _That guy is getting on my nerves._

"Now that Kagome and Kohaku are here," the old miko interrupted before any argument erupted between the two adolescent boys. "Everyone, this miko comes from the nearby village to the north," Kaede introduced the unfamiliar miko as she inclined her head towards the woman. "This is Naoko-dono. She has rather interesting news that I think you should all hear."

Kaede glanced worriedly towards Kagome, which the others did not seem to pick up. "It concerns the houshi."

And for some unknown reason, Kagome's heart began to pick up speed.

"It concerns the Shikon no Tama." Naoko began, speaking with a clear and serious voice, "Over the years, its location has become unknown and the one who possessed it was also a mystery. I only know that he was a houshi who had unusual, and yet wicked powers and it was likely he was corrupting the jewel for his own purposes."

Kagome remained silent but was disturbed by Naoko's use of the term 'was'. Did something happen to the hanyou?

The miko could feel the thundering pounding of her heart as she waited in looming anticipation.

"I will show you something. It belongs to him."

Naoko unfolded a cloth sack and presented an item that Kagome did not want to see.

For a few seconds, she swore her heart had stopped beating.

_That's Inuyasha's blue haori! Why does she have it?_

"Where did you get this?" Kagome asked Naoko, while grabbing the haori and clutching it in her small hands.

The miko looked rather surprised at the girl's statement but replied calmly, "Near his body…" However she did not get to finish her sentence, when Kagome unexpectedly stood up and ran out of the hut, with Rin following close behind.

"What's wrong with her?" Naoko asked with interest.

_That's what I like to know, _thought Sango, as she saw Kagome dash out with a horrified expression on her face.

"She was just upset about how much blood there was on this haori." Kaede answered with expert swiftness. "Do forgive her, she lives a very sheltered life."

"I…see," the miko replied, a hint of suspicion in her voice.

"Near a body you say, Naoko-dono?" Miroku enquired, also wondering why Kagome had abruptly run out. Never in his life, had he seen her so distressed. And then he began to worry, _No, it could not be him could it?_ Miroku shook his head to clear his mind. _No, this is someone else…_

"So you found this haori near a body. So that means…," the houshi began.

"Yes. More like what was left of his body." Naoko replied.

"But how did you know it was the houshi?" Sango asked this time.

"Because I could sense that he had the Shikon no Tama."

The occupants inside the hut fell silent at the news. Kaede had to calm herself down from her building emotions and urged the young woman to retell the story. It could not be true, could it?

"I did not see exactly how the houshi was killed. All I saw was a strange being dressed in purely white and it was surrounded by a strange light. I could not see the face, but it looked like a youkai, but more like a spirit or ghost. I saw it raise a hand, and then, there was this flash of light… and then I saw the houshi collapse. And that horrible laugh, it sounded like a woman. What made it worse however was the fact that she took the Shikon no Tama from his bloody hand."

"What?!?" everyone exclaimed.

"Are you sure?" Sango asked.

"I am sure it was the jewel, it was the same power I felt when the houshi had it. I can also sense that you," she smiled rather coldly at Miroku, "houshi-dono have some fragments, am I correct?"

When Miroku nodded his head in affirmation she continued.

"I tried to exterminate the youkai. But it was already using the power of the jewel and it was too powerful for me. And since it killed this houshi that I have been trying to track down myself, I knew I needed more assistance. I thought that you could help me since you must be searching for the jewel as well."

Naoko bowed down low and her hands began to tremble in anxiety. "Please help me. Please exterminate this youkai, I can't have it possessing the Shikon no Tama."

* * *

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"Please Kagome-sama, don't cry. It'll be alright." However Rin felt a tear fall down her cheek from hearing the news. "Rin's sure…that…that…"

Rin slapped Kagome across the face. The miko's eyes grew wide as she slowly held a hand to her face and looked accusingly at the teenager.

"I'm sorry Kagome-sama," Rin said quite sheepishly. "But there was a flea on your face." And she showed a very recognisable, squashed flea.

The miko's first distraught face turned to anger as she swiftly snatched the flea from Rin's hand.

"_You," _Kagome seethed, as the atmosphere seemed to darken around the miko all of a sudden, which caused Rin to step back in fear.

"Ah…ha-ha-ha…Kagome-sama, aren't you glad to see me?" Myoga asked not liking the sudden surge of dark energy, _Scarier than Sesshoumaru…_

"Why should _I _be happy to see you Myoga jii-chan?" The miko continued, "From past experiences, the fact that you're here means something bad has happened to Inuyasha. Am I correct?"

Myoga bowed down his head in shame. "I am sorry Kagome-sama. I could not do anything…" and off he went in tears while calling out, "You never appreciate me Kagome-sama!"

"I don't need to appreciate you, you blood-sucking leech." Kagome shouted. "If you weren't so small, I would have wringed your shrivelled neck!"

"Kagome-chan," Sango exclaimed which caused Kagome to jump and quickly turned to see a very surprised audience.

"Y-you guys scared me." Kagome said laughing nervously.

"Are you alright Kagome?" Shippou asked worriedly. "Why were you so upset? Stuff like that happens all the time. You've seen much worse before and it doesn't usually bother you. Was it someone you knew?"

"Stop bothering Kagome-sama with your stupid questions Shippou." Kohaku cautioned with a glare.

"At least I'm worried about her, unlike you." The kitsune answered, also with a glare.

_T-that's true, _Kagome thought slowly, _Kohaku doesn't seem to be worried at all…_

But before she could say anything, it was Sango who said it first.

"Would you two stop it already," Sango chided, backhanding them lightly on their heads. "Shippou behave, please," and she then looked at her younger brother with astonishment. "I'm surprised at you Kohaku. You never were like this before."

Kohaku looked away from her, "I'm sorry ane-ue."

Sango sighed feeling a little guilty. "Never mind, both of you just apologise to Kagome-chan, right now."

And they did, both bowing their heads solemnly.

Yet as they did, Kohaku secretively winked at the miko, to which Kagome was silently bewildered by the boy's actions.

"Kagome-sama," Miroku said, deciding to change the subject completely before the two boys started another fight. "We were wondering if you would like to join us to search for this youkai who has the Shikon no Tama."

"Youkai?" the miko asked confusingly. "What about the houshi? I never got the full story."

"Even Naoko-sama is not sure; she thinks it might be some kind of ghost because of its strange aura. But whatever it is, it has the Shikon no Tama and she asked us to exterminate it. This youkai can cause a lot of trouble if it has already killed the houshi." Sango sighed, "I wish I could have met him, just to see what he was like."

However Kagome had her back turned to hide her tears that threatened to fall from hearing the words: "…already killed the houshi."

* * *

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"Did you get the chance to tell her, Myoga?" Sesshoumaru asked the flea.

Myoga shook his head miserably. "No. She didn't want to listen to me."

* * *

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"…_already killed the houshi."_

Night had fallen, and Kagome was in no mood to sleep as she sat on the grassy fields, the same fields that Inuyasha and she sat together a long time ago. She sighed miserably as she fell back onto the slightly damp grass, not knowing what to make of the current situation.

Those terrible words ran repeatedly through her mind: '…already killed the houshi,' to the point where she had to shut her eyes and silently scream for them to stop. The whole thing did not make any sense to her, too many things were out of place, and the more she thought about it, the more worried she became. Surely Inuyasha wouldn't be killed by some youkai?

_Unless, it was more powerful, _Kagome thought, but then shook her head in disagreement. She was sure that that was impossible.

And there was another thing that Kagome found strange. Sango's younger brother Kohaku, had not seemed the slightest bit worried at all about the hanyou and she wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. Or perhaps she was just not looking at it the right way. After all, Kohaku had known Inuyasha during the time when she was not with him, so it was a possibility…

"…_already killed the houshi." _

Kagome sighed again as she closed her eyes. "Inuyasha," she whispered. "Where are you?" _I miss you, you baka…_

* * *

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Kagome felt tired as she walked up the long flight of stairs up to the shrine that was her home—

She stopped.

"Wait a minute…" She said as she turned around confusingly. "I thought I was in Sengoku jidai," then she shrugged her shoulders. "Oh well, I can always go tomorrow."

However, as she reached to the top of the stairs, she almost gawked at the person in front of her.

"Sess-Sesshou-…," the rest of his name failed her as his cold, unemotional face glared down at her.

_Oh Kami-sama, why is he here? _The miko stood back shakily as the tai-youkai stepped towards her. She reached behind her for her trustworthy bow and arrows, and found nothing. _Damn it! My bow and arrows betrayed me!_

A faint sound was heard coming from the house, and as it came closer, she almost wanted to die from mortification.

"Sesshou-nii chan, Sesshou-nii chan, who are you talking to?" Inuyasha asked looking straight at Kagome with an inquisitive if somewhat puppy-like face. She swore that she could see the luminous stars in his eyes.

Sesshoumaru smiled a brilliant, beautiful and genuine smile.

It made Kagome ill all of a sudden.

"Oh, you remember Kago-chan, Inu-chan?" Sesshoumaru laughed cheerfully.

Kagome knew that whatever was going on, this was a fate worse than dying.

Inuyasha clapped his hands with child-like delight. "Oh, yes, yes, yes, Kago-nee chan!"

That was the final straw, and as painfully as she could, she slapped the hyperactive hanyou across the face. "Stop that right now, Inuyasha! Don't you realise you're talking like a moron?!"

Grabbing the hanyou by the collar of his kimono, she noticed that Inuyasha had started to whimper a little as his eyes began to fill up with tears.

"But-but, you don't understand, Kago-nee chan…," he started more quietly.

Kagome paused at the hanyou's confusing words. "What do you mean?"

"She does not know?" The tai-youkai questioned.

"No, because I was already killed," Inuyasha replied softly.

"…_already killed the houshi." _

"But that's impossible, you're here right now."

"But you do not understand, Kagome," Inuyasha said again, as his eyes gradually turned black. "I was killed by a youkai."

"But I don't understand you Inuyasha." Kagome replied feeling frustrated from the hanyou's cryptic words.

"Of course you do not understand," a new, feminine voice calmly stated.

Everyone turned, and Kagome was now looking at a figure, clothed in pure white, and her face was covered with an outer kimono, like a veil.

"Of course you do not understand," the voice repeated. The voice was strange and it seemed to echo in the background.

Then the youkai smirked cruelly.

"What do they say? Rumours keep people hidden." The woman cackled, drawing out a katana, raised it above her head and slashed down causing everything to turn blindingly white.

* * *

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"Kagome-sama, Kagome-sama," Rin called out frantically trying to shake the miko from her fitful sleep.

The miko abruptly awakened from her horrible slumber and she struggled to breathe from the horrible nightmare she had just experienced.

But what was that dream about?

"Are you alright, Kagome-sama? You didn't want to sleep inside?" Rin questioned the miko.

"No Rin-chan," she replied tiredly. "I just didn't like being in there with that other miko and I didn't like hearing the news that he was dead."

Rin held Kagome's hand and replied with timid confidence. "If Kohaku is not worried, Rin is sure that inu-no oji-chan will be alright."

Kagome hoped so too.

* * *

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"Are you ready leave, Kagome?" Shippou asked the miko as she raised the enormous and heavy yellow backpack onto her shoulders.

The kitsune looked at her worriedly as the miko had to take forceful steps forward. "You want me to help you?"

"No…I'll be fine once we get moving." Kagome replied as she began to walk down the path that would lead them north towards the village that the miko Naoko described. "Where is Naoko-sama anyway?" She asked as she looked around.

"Oh, she said that she wanted to stay for a while, as she wants to wait for one of her comrades." Sango replied and then looked sharply at Miroku, "Well that's what she said, after she spoke with houshi-sama."

"You misunderstand me Sango my dear," Miroku tried to reason while rubbing his cheek that had a suspicious hand print on it. "I was merely trying to cheer her up. Naoko-dono looked so gloomy."

"Hurry up everyone!" Kohaku called out as he stood in the far front of the travelling group. "We want to be there as quickly as possible."

"Shut up Kohaku!" Shippou shouted back feeling more irritated than usual. _Who does he think he is?_

"Sango," Miroku whispered into her ear as they walked behind Kagome. "I've never seen Kohaku like this before."

"I know," Sango whispered in reply. "It really is incredible. I wonder what made him change like that."

"I don't care," Shippou grumbled as his sharp sense of hearing had already heard the conversation. "But I don't like him."

Kagome could only smile secretively from the kitsune's complaints. But then her eyes became glazed over with sadness at the thought that something terrible had happened to her hanyou, or worse…

It seemed to her that only Kohaku knew the answer.

She hoped he did.

* * *

(evil laughter) Until next time... 


	38. Chapter 38

Inuyasha (manga and anime) belong to Takahashi-san

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The Journey Home – Chapter Thirty Eight 

"You seem to be full of energy." Miroku told the boy as they made camp for the night. "Is there a reason why we must go there quickly?"

"Oh…uh—not really," Kohaku answered feeling somewhat timid again, "I just…want to get there as quickly as possible. It's dangerous and all that..." Kohaku knew that it was more dangerous to reveal anything more to the perceptive houshi.

_I wonder why you're in such a hurry, _thought Miroku. It was indeed getting very intriguing.

"How have you been, anyway?" The houshi asked, changing the subject. "Have you been staying with anyone? I remember you mentioning something about a 'he', do you mind if I ask who?"

"Eh? I did?" Kohaku exclaimed surprisingly, trying to hide his nervousness.

Miroku waved his hands in innocent protest. "Ah, I apologise. I must be thinking of someone else. But I really do want to know… just, _how_ did you end up with Kagome-sama?" He did not know why, but that question bothered him the most.

"Ah…Sesshoumaru-sama brought me to her. Although I don't know why," Kohaku lied. "He said that he was waiting for her, or something."

"Oh— really?" That statement sounded a bit too remarkable for the houshi, and he wasn't sure if Kohaku was lying or not, however he didn't want to question the boy any further, not yet anyway. Perhaps Sango would have better luck with him.

"What are you guys talking about?" Shippou asked curiously as he came back from hunting for fish and edible mushrooms.

"Ah…a man's life is surely a mysterious one," Miroku said wistfully.

Kohaku and Shippou just stared at him in confusion.

* * *

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"How long have you've known Kohaku, Rin-chan?" Sango asked as the three girls relaxed in the onsen.

"Oh, for a long time, Rin was so happy that Sesshoumaru-sama allowed Kohaku to stay. He has been with us ever since." Rin lied as she flushed, although the other two women weren't sure if it was from the heat of the onsen or something else.

"So…Kohaku hasn't been with anyone else? Did you see him with a miko?" Sango asked.

"Not that Rin knows of." Rin lied again.

"Oh…I see." And yet it was difficult for Sango to see if Rin was lying or not, so she decided to change the subject. "It must be wonderful for you Rin-chan." Sango sighed sadly wishing certain things about a certain houshi.

"What do you mean by that Sango-sama?" Rin asked.

It was Sango's turn to blush, "Oh…uh, nothing for you to worry about."

"Oh…? Kagome replied slyly. "Then why are you blushing?"

Sango turned bright red, as she mumbled, "I-it's nothing." And then she looked at Kagome with questioning eyes. "What I like to know is how and why Rin-chan ended up with you. It was strange that he allowed a human to follow him around and now, all of a sudden she's with you, Kagome-chan."

"Wh-what are you trying to say Sango-chan?" Although Kagome wished that whatever strange idea was on Sango's mind, she did not want to hear it.

She was absolutely right.

Sango edged closer towards her and whispered into her ear. "You know, perhaps Sesshoumaru asked _you _to look after Rin while he is wherever he is."

"And…?" Kagome asked naively.

Sango sighed in mild frustration as she hazarded a guess, because right now she wanted to know the real reason why Rin was with her.

Ever since Kagome had returned to their time, it was apparent that things had occurred during their absence, things that could be described as 'strange', especially with the unexpected appearance of Rin and Kohaku. And Sango was unsure of what to make of her brother's change in personality.

Sango had to know, she never liked it when people hid secrets from her, and now she had the inkling that that was exactly what the miko was doing.

"Isn't there something going on between you and Sesshoumaru? Sango blurted out.

She waited for the response.

Everything seemed to stop as the words echoed into Kagome's head.

Kagome blinked.

And she blinked again.

It took a while for Sango's words to settle in and then she finally said: "What?"

* * *

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Behind the bushes, Miroku was listening intently to the whole conversation. _Really now…?_

"What are you doing Miroku?" Shippou whispered harshly.

"Shh…," he hissed back covering the kitsune's eyes.

* * *

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The silence painfully lingered on as all three girls did not say anything for a long time.

Rin looked from Kagome to Sango and then sank down into the steaming hot water of the onsen, knowing that somehow her lie had worked all too well. _Please forgive me Kagome-sama…_

Sango began to laugh nervously as Kagome did not say anything further, but just stared at her with wide eyes and gaping mouth. In truth, it wasn't the kind of reaction she was hoping from the miko.

Standing up suddenly, she pointed an accusing finger at Rin while speaking to Kagome, "Well, Rin-chan is with you, and you did say that you had just arrived at Kaede-sama's village. So Sesshoumaru was probably waiting for you to arrive. I find it strange that _he _was waiting for you. Am I right Rin-chan?" She looked at the younger girl, but Rin just ducked further down into the water.

"Leave Rin out of this," she replied timidly, forming bubbles in the water as she spoke.

Sango was starting to feel a little uncomfortable as the miko still had not answered her about her accusations. She opened her mouth to apologise when; her quick eyes flickered to the bushes, and it was then she realised, as she went red with rage, that she was standing up and giving quite the spectacle for the now endangered houshi.

The leaves moved and the exterminator reached with her hand for the conveniently placed boulder.

"Houshi-sama, haven't I told you before?!! Never teach Shippou your bad habits!!"

* * *

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"At least you know some restraint Kohaku." Sango grumbled, as the girls dragged an unconscious Miroku and Shippou back to the campsite.

Kohaku looked at Kagome and she shrugged her shoulders in response. He looked at the unconscious bodies again and shook his head. _Now I know why Inuyasha-san warned me about girls and the onsen._

He continued to nibble at his fish.

* * *

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While everyone was assumingly asleep, Kagome snuck out to be by herself for a while, knowing that the cool fresh air would somehow ease her mind of entangled thoughts. And there were many entangled thoughts, more than she would have liked.

She noticed that the moon had nearly become full. Its colour and eerie illuminance had reminded her of Inuyasha and his pure white hair, rising and falling against the gentle winds. She reached inside of her side pocket and pulled out the dark blue ribbon that Inuyasha gave to her. Feeling the soft silk, she wished that he was here with her right now.

_Baka…where are you?_

Kohaku had not told her anything and didn't look like he was going to any time soon, but the fact that he wanted to get to the village as quickly as possible, only meant that it was a bad sign.

She sighed.

"They say when a young woman sighs; it means that she is in love." Miroku told her quietly.

"I-it does?" Kagome replied, not liking how the houshi had the ability to materialise from out of nowhere.

He nodded and continued. "I hope that what Sango has said is not true. Sesshoumaru seems to be a very…unlikely person." He finished off rather slowly, trying to make sense of the thought, but couldn't.

"Oh…so I wasn't hearing things was I?" Kagome groaned.

"Well, it is the only logical explanation we could come up with. You did say that you were at Kaede-dono's village not long ago. And when we came, Rin and Kohaku were already there and quite comfortable to be with you." He said carefully. "Sesshoumaru was waiting for you, I suppose? Kohaku did say that they were brought to you by him."

"You don't think that too, do you Miroku-sama?" Kagome asked, not wanting to know his answer.

"Well, perhaps you can enlighten me, with your story Kagome-sama."

Kagome had heard that tone of voice before from the houshi, and this was not good. It was obvious that he was waiting until she slipped something up.

"No. Of course not," she replied firmly while crossing her arms in front of her.

Miroku sighed, "But if you told me, we could clear this misunderstanding, or…," he began slowly. "If there is something going on between you and Sesshoumaru, we can clear up on that matter too."

"Look Miroku-sama, I don't know where you get your _logical explanations_, but if I hear something stupid like that again…" And even though she left the rest of the sentence hanging, Miroku took the hint as he found himself gulping with fear from the sudden mysterious drop in temperature.

"Yes, of course Kagome-sama, this matter will not be brought up again." He replied, bowing his head in apology, although he was glad _that _matter was cleared up. It sounded ridiculous, even to him. "Although it would help us if you told us what exactly was going on." He mumbled incoherently, although the miko did not manage to hear it, or choose not to.

Miroku then found himself unconsciously observing the hand that once held the kazaana, the deadly void that had been passed down from father to son for generations.

"I've noticed that you don't have the kazaana anymore." Kagome said quietly.

"Yes. I haven't had it for a long time. Although it is a mystery of how it suddenly disappeared," he then looked at the miko with a twinkle in his blue eyes. "Do you know how it disappeared?"

It was then that Kagome began to get nervous from the very perceptive houshi, and she tried her best to hide it. "I-I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Ah, I must be thinking about something else." Miroku innocently replied as he watched the miko hurry back into the camp. _You are a very bad liar Kagome. Whatever you are not saying, I will surely find out what it is..._

* * *

At last an update!! I'm so sorry about being late. I'm on my break from uni and now I'm working on different shifts so I'm tired and can't think straight...anyway, I hope you are enjoying the story so far... 

Ah! The crime of misunderstandings...

Until next time...


	39. Chapter 39

Inuyasha (anime and manga) belong to Takahashi-san

* * *

The Journey Home – Chapter Thirty Nine 

"What a lovely day, isn't it Naoko-san?" The houshi asked as they sat together on a wooden bench admiring the pleasant scenery.

The houshi went by the name of Hisato, a young man who was attractive enough if anyone cared to look. He was tall, had dark, handsome hair which he tied up to keep away from his eyes, the kind of eyes that women couldn't help but to gaze into for long hours. Although he wished Naoko would look at him in that way.

He had travelled with her to this particular village, hoping there would be some information about any sightings of the youkai who now had the Shikon no Tama. It was a tedious task as they had been trying to get the jewel for so long, trying to locate the numerous shards that made up the jewel, but it was always fruitless, as the youkai – or hanyou, depending on whom one asked – who was masquerading as a houshi had always gotten it first. And they had chased after him for many moons, but now, quite unexpectedly, according to his companion, he was murdered by a ghost-like youkai, which threw the whole chase into chaos.

Hisato's instincts however told him that something very funny was going on, but their leader Katashi would not have any word of it.

"Stubborn old goat," he mumbled incoherently.

"What was that?" Naoko replied suspiciously, thinking that he was referring to her.

"N-nothing, Naoko-san..." His thoughts stumbled back on to their current predicament.

They had firstly entered the village hopeful for any clues, when he saw three very familiar people, the houshi, the female exterminator and the kitsune, and he was about to greet them, when he also noticed a boy with an all too familiar face.

It was the boy slayer whom Hisato was unfortunate enough to meet. He did not exactly know why the boy was here, but it was always bad news, and so he had to hide in the forest while his comrade asked for information.

It turned out that they did not know much about the ghostly youkai either, and now Hisato and Naoko sat in contemplation, figuring out their next move.

"What do we do now?" Naoko asked.

He thought for a while, looking at the clear blue sky as he did. "Perhaps if we're lucky enough, the youkai might just pass us without us knowing."

The miko looked at him oddly. "How can you be so optimistic about everything?"

"That's because you're so gloomy. I have to balance the mood."

Naoko groaned at his inappropriate humour.

For the many years she had known the young, attractive— no that was not the right word…she looked at him, _definitely not attractive…_stupid, yes stupid… Naoko shook her head. Never in her life had she met someone who could continuously annoy and infuriate her with such childish behaviour. She found it difficult to believe that he was personally handpicked by Katashi himself. She was about to say something when something else caught her attention.

"Wait…," Naoko spoke suddenly. "I've never seen that man before."

The young miko was pointing to an unfamiliar man who had entered the village with a large wooden box strapped to his back. He wore dull coloured clothes, similar to those of an ordinary villager or farmer. They could not see his face because of the straw hat that covered his head. In all appearances, the man was very dull looking, and they would not have given him any more thought. Except, what Naoko found suspicious was a group of small children that were following him, all smiles and happy laughter, while a little girl sat on the stranger's shoulders with the biggest smile on her face.

"He looks suspicious." Naoko whispered pointing to the unfamiliar man.

"That's what you say about everyone." The houshi replied.

He was effectively backhanded by the miko. "We have been in this village for at least two days, and I know that I have never seen that man before, and yet the children surround him as if they had known him for a long time." Her eyes narrowed. "They seem to be very tolerant of strangers."

"Well…perhaps he's the father?"

"To _that _many children?" she cried disbelievingly.

Hisato shrugged his shoulders, "A _very _lucky father?"

Naoko rolled her eyes at the ridiculous thoughts her comrade was having, wondering how she ended up with such an idiot. Why could not Katashi understand that she worked better alone?

She stood up to talk to the newcomer, when she felt a tug on her kimono sleeve, and she looked down to find that Hisato was shaking his head.

"What?" She asked irritably. "Why can't I ask him a few questions?"

"And make the children scared? Really now Naoko-san, you don't want to draw attention to ourselves, now do you? That old miko is already suspicious of us. I tell you, that woman knows something and it would be unfortunate for us if we miss this opportunity." And he saw the young miko sigh in defeat as she sat down again. "Don't worry Naoko-san," Hisato continued, patting her on the back which only further irritated the miko, "did not Buddha teach us to be patient? …Or something that goes on the same line. Or was it something that had to do with—"

"You-are-an-idiot," Naoko found herself declaring to the now wide-eyed Hisato. "I am going to ask him right now!"

"But-but the children…," the houshi began.

"I don't give a damn about the children!!" She shouted back.

"Now, now, there is no need to shout." A soft voice reasoned, which resulted in Hisato and Naoko to quieten down. "It is not healthy for children to see adults arguing about something meaningless."

Naoko became suddenly ashamed from the stranger's words and quickly bowed to apologise. She did not mean to act so out of character. It was all Hisato's fault of course, but she would scold him later for that.

"Please, forgive us," Hisato apologised as well. "We were just wondering why the children here appear so happy to see you."

The man smiled, although it was the kind of smile that the houshi was unsure of, but he did not want to be impolite and ask the man to remove his hat just so he could see his face.

"I come here every month," he spoke softly, politely. "From the mountains, I have medicinal herbs for Kaede-dono."

"Oh! The medicine man, I am sorry, we didn't know." They both replied, allowing him to pass.

The medicine man smiled again as he inclined his head, dropping a red pouch with beautiful calligraphy scribed on to it, into Naoko's hand. "It is a good luck charm."

Hisato and Naoko watched the man disappear down the road towards the old miko's hut, with the children happily following him. Naoko brought the pouch up to her face to inspect it, looking at the delicate writings of the calligraphy.

"'A blossoming romance'," she mumbled embarrassingly as she took a sniff of the sweet perfume that floated towards her.

"It smells nice; I just hope it's a real charm." Hisato said, startling the miko. He then smiled cheekily. "He must realise that something is going on between us."

"I find that very hard to believe, Hisato." She kept a watchful eye as the man continued to walk towards the old miko's hut. _What a strange man._

* * *

Kaede sighed as she sipped her hot tea to calm her nerves, it was her tenth cup. It was no doubt that Naoko's story had bothered her. She took another sip from her cup. 

What bothered her mostly was how, according to the other miko, the hanyou was so easily disposed of; it almost felt surreal, almost…almost…

…_Impossible._ She eyed the bloodied dark blue haori that lay neatly beside to her.

She took another sip from her cup and found that there was no soothing liquid to calm her down. Kaede narrowed her eyes at the empty clay cup. _Damn it all…_She had run out of tea, again.

"Kaede-sama?" a small voice spoke out, bringing the old miko out of her musings. "The medicine man is here to see you."

"Oh…yes child." She replied wearily. "Please send him in." And as she heard the man step onto the hard wooden floors, she realised with a start, that she did not know any medicine man.

* * *

Hoped you enjoyed the story so far...

Until next time...


	40. Chapter 40

Inuyasha (manga and anime) belong to Takahashi-san

* * *

The Journey Home – Chapter Forty 

Sango walked up ahead, after hearing a story from one of the travellers who was in the area of the village they were currently travelling to.

"_Yes, we've heard of this youkai, a terrible ghostly white figure. Actually there is this tale about how this youkai came to appear. Tell them about it," _one of the travellers had urged his friend.

"_Yeah, if you like those kind of stories," _and he shivered._ "A real terrible one this is."_

"_We would like to hear it." _Miroku had said._ "We are trying to find this youkai ourselves. Some kind of description would help us."_

"_Of course houshi-sama, we'll be glad when this youkai is gotten rid of." _The traveller sat down on a rock and had urged Miroku and the others to sit down with him._ "Yes, a real frightful story." _And then he took out a pipe and lit it to smoke._ "Yes a terrible story…"_

He then thought for a while before he began.

"_This happened not to long ago, somewhere around the winter season. The daimyo was to be wedded to a very beautiful hime from the neighbouring lands, she was the most beautiful, most graceful of all hime, but, she had a very nasty temper when things didn't go her way. She was a real tyrant, she was worse than the worse oni." _He chuckled.

"_Anyway, two days before the ceremony, there was some scandal floating around about the daimyo seeing some commoner girl in the village, no doubt it was made up by his enemies who wanted the daimyo ruined. But that didn't stop the hime from having her suspicions; she was a very jealous woman. And so she sent one of her spies to spy on him, and the news he brought back was not good news to her. _

"_He _was_ seeing someone secretly. You could only imagine what happened next, the hime was angry, furious. Here she was, the most beautiful of all the lands, and there he was seeing some _commoner _girl. Of course she became jealous, and on the night of the wedding she murdered her newly married husband, by poisoning the ceremonial sake and then she went to the village where the girl was, killed her, then ate her and drank her remaining blood." _He laughed, as he demonstrated with his hand actions.

Sango had noticed that Kagome, Rin and Shippou had turned a sickly green from the mentioning of that little, if somewhat unnecessary detail and it seemed that the other traveller thought so too.

"_Now look what you've done, scaring the women and children like that. You didn't have t o describe things like that."_

The storyteller had flushed in embarrassment._ "So-sorry…that's just how the story goes."_

That's some horror story, Miroku pondered,_ "What did she do after that?"_

"_They say it was because of a youkai who possessed her soul, filling her with grief and hatred that caused her rival's demise. Whatever it was, caused the hime to die a lonely death, but she remains as a spirit, haunted by her past, unable to free herself from her cruel fate. People claim to have seen her, still dressed in a ceremonial wedding kimono, stalking young, attractive people, especially girls because she is jealous of their beauty, watching, waiting…for her chance to strike…_

"_I suggest you young ones better be careful. The village you're going to is very dangerous right now. It's not safe, especially for pretty women such as your selves, to go there. It doesn't matter if you folks are experienced youkai-taijiya, that youkai ghost, or spirit is as cunning as she was when she was alive. _

"_Spiritual people have tried to purify her soul, but were unsuccessful. I've heard that even a very powerful houshi was killed by her not too long ago." _

"_Uh—I think we've heard enough. Thankyou for telling us," _Sango had thanked them as she noticed that Kagome had hurriedly walked off with a horrified expression._ Poor girl…_

"Are you alright ane-ue?" Kohaku asked as he joined with his sister.

Sango came out of her reverie and smiled at her brother.

"Yes," she sighed, "that was an awful story wasn't it? I've never seen Shippou so green in the face before." She chuckled a little.

Kohaku smiled a little, "There are a lot of strange stories like that."

Sango nodded, wondering what he had meant, but she decided to ask a different question instead.

"It's been a long time, hasn't it Kohaku?" She felt a tear start to form in her eye but she kept it down. "After Naraku had disappeared, I…never saw you again. I thought you were…gone…forever."

_Ane-ue…_

"But now, oh look at you, all grown up and handsome. You almost look like chichi-ue, except for the moustache. He would have been so proud of you, and the rest of our family. I'm glad that you're alive, so healthy and…and smiling so much..."

Kohaku heard a little sniffle coming from his sister.

"Ane-ue, there's no need to cry." Kohaku tried to console her. "You should be happy too."

"I know…I'm sorry. It's just…well, too many things have happened. Everything has changed, everyone has grown up, it's just…gone all too quickly, and I wish I could have seen you growing up, but things don't always go to plan do they? Everything has changed," she said again. "It seems so calm now, no worries about youkai, or houshi-sama's kazaana, and we don't know what has happened to Naraku. He's just gone…I don't like it, but I don't know if I should be suspicious of it or not." Then she looked at her brother directly.

"Do you remember a hanyou, Kohaku; he used to travel with us, a long time ago."

The boy nodded unsurely. "What happened to him?" He asked.

"He betrayed our trust."

Kohaku didn't answer.

"We thought that we could trust him, especially when it concerned Kagome-chan. But he's always been horrible to her, calling her names and everything. He never thought about her feelings," _Always running off to Kikyou, _"I-I hate him."

The look on Kohaku's face surprised her and she stopped immediately. _He doesn't know what happen…_ "I'm sorry Kohaku; I didn't mean to say it like that. I just didn't want to see Kagome-chan upset all the time because of him." _Kagome deserved someone better. Anyone would be better than that stupid hanyou…_

"If you say so ane-ue," he answered, however he didn't want to say anymore, and they continued to walk in an uneasy silence.

* * *

"Kagome," Shippou asked later in the day. "I don't like that Kohaku."

"Really?" she answered.

"Why is he acting so heroic for Rin? He's just showing off and she likes it!"

"Shippou you're not _jealous _are you?" Miroku added slyly.

Shippou's face flushed red, "Of course not! I'm not like that. I just don't like him. He reminds me of someone and I don't like it."

_Like Inuyasha?_ Kagome thought, _that would be funny…_Kagome giggled.

Sango had now joined in on the conversation, happy that the young miko was smiling for the first time. "Well I'm glad that my brother seems a lot happier, it makes me relieved. Although I am wondering how he could have changed so much…and who could have influenced him."

"I for one cannot see it as being of Sesshoumaru's influence." Miroku added. "Kohaku has this kind of unruliness which I can't quite place my finger on." And for some reason, his eyes darted towards the miko, wondering if their comments would have any kind of reaction.

"If you ask me," Shippou retorted. "I don't like that boy. He's always running off with Rin. It's not fair! I don't see what's so special about him."

"Oooh…he _is_ jealous." Miroku chirped.

"I am not."

"You are." Both Sango and Kagome replied.

"You're all against me." Shippou grumbled, turning his back away from them.

"I – uh better go see if they're alright. They've been gone a long time." Kagome decided, as she stood up to search for Rin and Kohaku.

* * *

Kagome found Rin picking yet another bouquet of little yellow and pink flowers.

Rin smiled as she came closer and then pointed above her, urging the miko to follow Rin's direction with her eyes.

"What's wrong Kohaku-kun?" Kagome shouted, finding that the boy was looking into the far distance amongst the treetops.

"Nothing," he shouted back, as he continued to look.

"Please tell me what's going on Kohaku-kun. I know _something_ is going on, I won't tell anyone. You know that."

The exterminator's face reddened slightly. "I know that," he jumped down quickly and then whispered into her ear. "But youkai have good hearing. And I think Shippou is trying to catch me out. If I didn't find his weakness for gory stories so amusing, I would have pounded him into the ground for trying to eavesdrop on my conversations, or trying to follow me whenever I want to go somewhere. So I can't say anything right now."

"Don't worry, Shippou's harmless." Kagome smiled, putting her hand on his shoulder to stop him from sounding a bit too familiar from a certain somebody who had the temperament for violence. "Do you mean that he's alright? Please tell me that this story about that youkai who kills men and eats women is not true. He couldn't have let something like this happen to him."

But before Kohaku could say anything, he gave her a solemn smile instead and then hugged the startled young miko.

"Oi, Kohaku!" Shippou leapt out from wherever he was hiding. "What do you think you're doing with Rin and then I find you hugging Kagome? You are so disgusting."

Kohaku stepped in front of Rin, giving Shippou a very Inuyasha-like smirk which only Kagome noticed to her surprise. _Uh-oh…_

"So?" He began slowly, "I can't help it if _I'm _the favourite."

Shippou puffed out angrily, "F-f-_favourite…? Favourite…?! _That does it, I'm going to teach you a lesson!" and he was about to attack the boy exterminator with his claws, when suddenly, Rin stepped out in front of Kohaku, arms outstretched and she shouted:

"Shippou-chan stop it!" She turned to Kohaku. "And stop teasing him Kohaku."

The quarrelling youths stopped immediately as Rin berated them for their behaviour. The two boys went red in embarrassment, stalking off sulkily in different directions and not another word was said, while Rin hurriedly followed after Kohaku, arguing with him until they both disappeared out of sight.

Kagome sighed as her shoulders slumped.

Whatever it was that Kohaku had wanted to say to her was ruined by the kitsune, and now, she probably wouldn't get another opportune moment, as it seemed likely that the boy was not going to approach her again. Kohaku apparently wanted to remain silent over the whole matter, and yet she was beginning to speculate as to why the boy had wanted to keep it a secret in the first place. Was Inuyasha alright? Kohaku didn't seem to be bothered by it at all.

And that thought alone was disconcerting.

_You better be alright dog-boy._ _Or you're going to be in a lot of trouble._

* * *

"Oh Kami-sama, I could hate children right now." Hisato mumbled angrily under his breath. "All of them, asking so many questions, never left us alone for even a moment."

Naoko smiled sardonically, "I thought you liked children."

He didn't seem to hear.

"_Someone_ is doing this on purpose, I know it. Every time we tried to leave the village, those rascals kept following us and blocking our way."

Breathing in and out slowly he struggled to compose himself. "Anyway, we've been delayed enough. We better keep an eye on the exterminator group."

Naoko nodded, then she suddenly raised her hand to silence him and she darted her eyes towards the woods. Her finger was pointing to the lurking silhouette that was coming closer towards them.

Slowly, cautiously, a person walked out, revealing her face to them. She wore clothing similar to those of a miko. Her presence was as cold as her face, but the most remarkable about her appearance was the snake-like youkai that floated around her, casting a glowing light that made her face ever more imposing.

"M-miko-sama…?" Naoko asked, afraid that her voice would falter from the raw power she felt radiating from the miko.

"Your master is looking for the Shikon no Tama?" The miko asked, surprising the both of them with her sudden question.

When they did not answer for a long time, the miko smirked, coldly, "I see, of course he is, just like everyone else." She turned around and disappeared into the darkness of the night, the soul skimmers ever faithful, vanished with her.

"W-who was that?" Naoko asked.

"I don't know," Hisato replied, feeling that his heart was beating much too fast at that moment. "But I fear this Shikon no Tama business is going to get complicated…"

* * *

Author's notes - 

daimyo - fuedal lord

hime - princess

* * *

Until next time... 


	41. Chapter 41

Inuyasha (manga and anime) belong to Takahashi-san

* * *

The Journey Home – Chapter Forty One 

Kagome and the others arrived at the village matching Naoko's description. It was a medium sized trading village, currently populated by the local sellers and the travellers who were seeking extra supplies or selling medicinal herbs. And the village had grown prosperous of its trading and it had shown too. Many men and women with fine attire were occupied in the village, along with many children who ran around, causing havoc and mischief. Everything appeared to be normal.

Except Kagome felt something odd about the village, _I don't sense any bad auras around here...no spirits...no youkai...nothing...weird— _She would have thought that the villagers would have been a lot more vigilant about some murderous spirit wandering around.

"Ah…," Miroku said appreciatively, "I've never seen anything so beautiful in my humble life. The shape...the perfect formation..."

Sango noticed that his eyes were directed towards two, more than attractive women, who were giggling amongst themselves. She cast an evil glare at the houshi, but he took no notice, as he walked casually towards the women.

Readying her Hiraikotsu and aiming for his head, she marched forward and she almost stumbled when Miroku passed the women and instead came to the front of a very fine house.

"This must be the finest house I have ever seen." He exclaimed in amazement. "I must have been blessed by the Buddha at last."

Sango could only stare in amazement at the houshi and then blushed profusely because of her embarrassment, thinking that he was going to the women instead.

"Your face is so red ane-ue. You might be getting sick." Kohaku told her.

"I-it's nothing Kohaku." She answered back, but her brother didn't seem too sure.

"I see that you have been admiring my home." An elderly woman said as she came out of the door.

Miroku bowed his head and with a very serious face he said: "Yes, such an esteemed home would likely bring bad influence."

The old woman's face began to wrinkle with worry. "B-bad influence?"

"Yes, I can sense it, bad jyaki." Miroku continued with serious intonation. "It will likely bring ill fortune if it is left unattended. You may become cursed if your home has not been exorcised. It would be most wise if you would humbly permit my companions and I to perform an exorcism."

"My goodness, I never realised about being cursed. Yes, please come in, this way, all of you. I'll provide beds and baths for your kind services."

Miroku bowed again, completing the deal. _You still have that charm, Miroku. _

They all walked through the hallway leading up to the garden outside where an elderly man sat, dozing off in the warmth of the sun. The old woman walked up to him, nudging him on the shoulder bidding him to awaken.

With sleepy eyes he regarded the new visitors with curiosity and a hint of suspicion.

"What's going on?" He asked.

"Houshi-sama sensed jyaki around our home, and he offered to exorcise it for us." And she trembled. "Maybe that spirit is around here."

The old man became fully alert by the news, "Really? You can get rid of this spirit?"

"We will tend to it." Miroku said, bowing low. "Do you happen to know what this...spirit looks like?

"Well," he began looking unsure, "we haven't. But we have heard rumours about that fight with a houshi who had some kind of jewel. Someone said, that for some reason that spirit was adept at using weaponry. Although we're not sure if spirits are able to use weapons, it's not possible houshi-sama?"

The old woman shook her head in agreement. "If it's here…oh it would be terrible for business…all the young people come here for their celebrations."

"About that…," Kagome asked, "the people around here...don't seem to be worried about the whole spirit business."

"Eh…well you know, we are a trading village." The elderly man replied, although Kagome detected a hint of nervousness in his tone. "The trades would not be good if people became scared."

"I ensure you, we will deal with it." Miroku said, finding that the miko's observations were very intriguing.

* * *



"Are you scared Miroku?" Shippou asked. "That spirit is looking for attractive people. Maybe she'll come tonight." He then shivered. "Ah, we're doomed!!" Shippou declared. "We're _all _attractive people!!!" 

"I don't have to worry Shippou. My brave, dear, beautiful Sango will surely protect me."

Sango blushed, trying to edge away from the houshi's advances.

"We have nothing to be afraid of." Miroku added. "We are youkai-taijiya. We just have to placate her soul. How terrible her burden must be to wander this earthly realm alone."

_Alone...? _Miroku hated that word, it gave him bad memories.

"Yes...if you say so houshi-sama," Sango mumbled, then looked at Kagome who appeared more preoccupied at the moment. "Are you worried Kagome-chan?" She asked.

The miko smiled worriedly. "I...don't know. I just find it strange that this spirit is able to use weapons, like a normal person. Maybe it's not really a spirit…maybe someone is trying to scare us."

"That could be true," Miroku commented. "I guess we would just have to wait and see. Actually I can't wait to meet this ghost."

"Why?" Sango asked cautiously, not liking the starry-eyed look in his eyes.

"Because they said that she was a very beautiful hime. I can't wait to see what she looks like…"

Miroku was 'politely' forced to sleep in the next room.

* * *



That night, Miroku lay awake in his futon. Truthfully he did not like to sleep alone, by himself, while some kind of ghostly youkai was lurking around searching for young human flesh. Oh how he wished he was in the next room, next to Sango's…he stopped himself before his thoughts went awry. 

He turned to his side praying that sleep would take him. He sighed and turned on his back again, staring at the empty ceiling. He prayed to fall asleep…_I really hope I don't meet this ghost...youkai...whatever it is. Not my type of woman..._

Miroku turned to another side, tightly closing his eyes.

In the dead silence, a sudden noise made him jump. He hastily stood up and crept closer to the noise, which sounded like it was coming from outside. Making a grab for his shakujou, he quietly advanced to the sliding door where it led outside. Warily peering through the crack of the sliding door, he noticed a figure standing alone in the moonlit garden.

Miroku felt his heart had stopped.

A shape suddenly disappeared out of sight, and Miroku squinted his eyes unsure what had just happened.

He carefully opened the door...

...And found Kagome staring at the moon.

Miroku blinked, and then rubbed his eyes with the sleeve of his robes.

He walked up to the girl and looked at the moon as well. It was nearly full.

"Are you thinking about someone?" He asked quietly.

Kagome looked at him with startled eyes as if she had come out of a trance.

"I wonder who it is." He said, keeping his eyes to the moon but occasionally taking a glance to see her reaction.

She didn't reply.

"I hope…that you see him again."

Miroku decided to let Kagome continue looking at the moon, apparently lost in her own thoughts and he walked back into the house. But before he entered through the door, he searched around, first looking around the garden, then the rooftops and finally the adjoining rooms, for any presence that someone or something had entered or left.

All he found was Kagome.

Miroku went back inside to try and fall asleep, again. It was going to be a long night.

'Kagome' stared at the moon, motionless, lifeless.

While another girl with the exact same appearance, who was the original Kagome, was in a fitful sleep constantly tossing and turning, oblivious to what had just occurred outside.

From the shadows, a figure with pure white hair and eyes like the devil recalled the shikigami to its original form of a folded sheet of paper that was cut into a shape of a person.

Smelling the warm night air, the figure silently crept with stealth to the girl's location. It found her sleeping in the futon, but frowned slightly as the girl looked like she was in distress. _A bad dream…?_

Looking around the room, it found two other futons where the other occupants were sleeping. It knew it had to be wary, as being caught would definitely strike unwanted trouble.

Padding towards its target, it knelt down carefully so as to not disturb the young woman, as it gazed longingly at her face.

She turned her face over and it could see that she was sweating slightly. Reaching into its kimono for a cloth to wipe the sweat away, the person watched as her face relaxed slightly and it smiled.

The miko unconsciously reached out with a slender hand feeling a presence that was so close to her. She touched another hand and felt the cool skin beneath her fingers, yet she felt no fear from its touch as the cold fingers wrapped around hers, seemingly wanting to seek the warmth from her skin.

Brushing a few strands of her midnight hair the figure whispered delicately into her ear soothing words that made her relax to a now restful sleep.

His trembling lips then brushed against her cheek softly, timidly, once; twice…she tasted sweet...like...like—

"Inu…ya…?"

"Who's there?!!" a woman's commanding voice spoke out, as a large object spun directly towards the dark figure.

Sango, Hiraikotsu in her tight grasp, ran towards the suspicious shadow. But she had swung at nothing. Still awoken by the disturbance, she ran outside, darting her eyes left then right, sensing for any presence of jyaki or youkai.

"Nothing", she cursed. Whatever it was, it had hidden well.

"What's wrong Sango, a youkai?"

"I don't know. I couldn't detect anything."

"I know. I felt something strange as well." Miroku led the exterminator back into the house, still ever watchful of intruders.

The amber eyes watched from the shadows.

* * *



"Thank goodness that spirit didn't come last night. I couldn't sleep at all." The old woman exclaimed. "You must have warded it off. I am so grateful for your help." 

The elderly couple bowed in farewell and Miroku followed suit. He waved goodbye and went to follow his companions who went ahead of him.

"Well, that was useless." Shippou said, disappointed that there was no fighting, even though he had stayed awake all night, fearful that the ghost may have arrived last night.

"Well Shippou, at least we got a free meal and lodgings." Miroku answered. "Yet I am disappointed that the hime didn't come last night. We'll just have to keep looking, or at least try to find where she killed that houshi."

Kohaku and Rin were behind the group in quiet conversation.

"Kagome-sama looks a bit distracted today." Rin whispered.

Kohaku laughed quietly. "Yeah, I guess she is."

Kagome was walking, as if she were in a dream, hand on her cheek.

It had started off as a horrible nightmare; she couldn't remember the exact details of the dream, but she knew it was a surreal, almost cruel dream.

In her dream, she felt herself running along in the cloudy darkness. She had peered over her shoulder, but all she could see was the murky darkness. Her hand reached out in front of her, feeling for any presence, only to find nothing.

The miko hoped it wasn't one of those dreams where Naraku had forced her to eat a bucket of worms. It was the worst nightmare she ever had, and she wasn't able to look at ramen the same way for weeks, which had made Inuyasha very...very...well...he was a bit upset.

Kagome gulped and looked around, feeling for any ominous aura.

A cold hand had grabbed hers, effectively stopping her from escaping, which made her blood freeze instantaneously. Her breathing had become frantic, uneven, as the hand touched her skin making her shiver in fright. But instead of trying to snatch her hand away, Kagome's face had blanched as she responded by wrapping her hand around the stranger's hand, seemingly knowing who this person was. She had looked at her assailant, but saw nothing but a silhouette, tall, dark.

A chill went up the miko's spine as the shadow leaned in closer towards her and said only one word:

"Kagome..."

The way he had said her name, gentle and warm, had brought tears to her eyes and she felt herself collapsing on to the ground, cursing the familiar voice she had heard.

And then, she felt a cool sensation on her cheek as she saw the figure gently, timidly caress her with his lips. She felt his lips tremble against her face and Kagome had closed her eyes, tears flowing down her face, wanting to savour this first moment for as long as possible, wanting it to be real.

It was all too brief.

But then he had kissed her again.

It was strange how it had felt so real; his cool, soft lips on her skin had made her swoon completely.

And after that, she fell into heavenly unconsciousness...

Kagome continued to walk along, unsure of what to make of her dream. _That kiss...was so real. _She felt her cheek again, the place where in her dreams the person had kissed her. _It was so real..._

She gasped.

_Was it him...?_

The miko was so deep in her musings that she did not notice that she was about to walk into a tree, nor did she notice Kohaku and Rin calling for her to stop.

Her face collided painfully into the tree.

"Oh, excuse me ma'am. I didn't see you there." And Kagome continued to go on her way, not noticing the concerned looks her friends were making.

Sango and Miroku looked at each other in surprise.

"I've never seen Kagome-chan so...so...uh, vacant before. Maybe she's having those strange dreams again."

"That's odd; I saw her staring at the moon all night, although she did have that vacant expression. She's been doing that a lot more frequently, ever since we met her at Kaede-dono's village." Miroku said thoughtfully, as his suspicions were starting to grow.

"But she was fast asleep when I saw her. I was awake all night and I know she was there the whole time. I didn't hear anything from her, except for the occasional whimpering. I think she was crying last night."

They looked back at the young miko, who still had her hand on her cheek while sighing every so often.

"Something strange is going on. I'm sure I felt some kind of presence last night, but I couldn't make out to what it was." Then Sango had an alarming thought. "You don't think houshi-sama, that this ghost might make Kagome-chan its next target? After all, according to rumours, it does have the Shikon no Tama and it might need Kagome-chan to search for the rest of the jewel."

All Miroku could do was think. It was a plausible explanation, that eerie feeling he had when he was outside in the garden, like someone was watching his every move.

He turned to Shippou, who seemed too bored without conversation or anything to play tricks on.

"Shippou, come here for a moment." He gestured for the kitsune to join his side and then the houshi whispered into his ear. "Have you by any chance smelt anything strange? Like back in that village?"

Putting his head to the side as if in thought, Shippou thought hard then looked doubtful with his conclusion.

"I'm not sure," he thought harder, "but something was strange in the scent I did pick up. Like a youkai but not really a youkai."

"Not really a youkai?" Both Miroku and Sango answered for him.

"Yeah…no, it was some strange smell, but something was blocking my nose, so I couldn't smell it properly. It smelt like...incense." Then he narrowed his eyes at the young exterminator boy who was laughing with Rin. "Sometimes I can smell that scent on him. I told you I didn't like that boy."

* * *

Author's notes - 

shikigami - paper dolls used in spells

Hiraikotsu - Sango's boomerang weapon

shakujou - Miroku's staff

* * *

Sorry you guys had to wait, I had to work the whole week and now I'm off on holidays, but I'll have the next chapter by next week. Enjoying the story so far? Why not leave a review. Any comments are appreciated. 

Until next time...


	42. Chapter 42

Inuyasha (manga and anime) belong to Takahashi-san

* * *

The Journey Home – Chapter Forty Two 

"I know you are there," Sesshoumaru spoke out coolly, while he sat on a large rock overlooking the still waters of the lake. He glanced behind him, where a thick forest of trees made up most of the landscape, eyes searching for the person who dared make his presence known.

Nothing...

There were no traces, no sounds, from the person who choose to remain hidden in the trees. Sesshoumaru turned his head back to gaze at the lake once again, smirking at the person's foolishness.

Jaken, the ever faithful servant was hopelessly trying to catch fish.

The grass moved slightly, the minute sounds alerting the tai-youkai's sensitive hearing. With a powerful flick of his hand, a whip-like energy flew out, slashing all in its path and narrowly missing his target.

"Too bad...I missed." The tai-youkai stated calmly.

A figure walked out calmly, it wore a long, pure white kimono, a colour so white, that it was blinding from the midday sun. However the person's face remained hidden by an outer kimono, only a strange smile could be seen. The clothing flapped serenely, wraithlike, against the warm breeze.

"Sesshoumaru-san, please do be careful where you use that thing." The figure smirked cruelly. "Someone could get hurt." With its hand, it raised a tessen out of the folds of the kimono and used it to fan its face, whether as an intimidation or because it was hot, Sesshoumaru was not sure.

And then he heard it laugh.

It was the sound of a woman's laughter.

In a splint second, Sesshoumaru had his hand around her throat; though his eyes gleamed coldly with humour, "Please do not laugh like that. I do have sensitive hearing," and he let go of her throat.

The figure seemed unfazed by the threat and she smiled again, "Oh poor Sesshoumaru-san. Well, at least Jaken-san enjoys my company." She waved to the toad youkai, "Hello Jaken-san," she began cheerily and then her tone dropped into a menacing whisper, yet she remained smiling. "I hope you have been well."

Jaken gulped and cowered into the freezing waters. "You...s-stay away f-from me..." he hissed shakily.

"I have never seen Jaken so...frightened before," Sesshoumaru whispered. "One might feel slightly envious of your ability." He then looked at the person directly.

"The 'houshi'?" he asked.

The ghost-like youkai made a cutting motion across its neck.

The tai-youkai smiled. "And everyone knows?"

The person nodded once.

"Such a shame really," was all he said and the other youkai smiled.

Sesshoumaru took out a white envelope from the inside of his kimono and handed it to the youkai, "One word of advice 'youkai'. Try not to humiliate yourself _too_ much in front of that miko."

"Sesshoumaru-san you dare doubt my abilities?" She told him jokingly.

"Well then," the tai-youkai said casually as he got up. "Send my regards to Kagome."

The figure bowed gracefully in acknowledgment.

* * *

"Are you absolutely sure Shippou?" Miroku whispered.

Sango, Miroku and Shippou were gathered around a small fire, the fish roasting slowly above the flames. Kagome and Rin had gone else where to collect water, while Kohaku had disappeared for a while saying he needed to go, as nature was calling, so to speak.

That had been, according to Kagome's watch, two hours ago.

His disappearance had confirmed their suspicions and they had begun discussing their plan of action.

"You don't think it would be Naraku do you?" Shippou asked.

"Well," the houshi began with a grim expression, "one cannot be too sure. I mean, we have been searching for Naraku everywhere and we have never found him. And my kazaana is gone and it has been gone for a long time. Someone like him would not stay dormant for long."

"But didn't he wait for the Shikon no Tama to reappear again? That's what Kaede-sama told us. He had to wait for at least fifty years for the jewel to reappear, and that's when Kagome-chan arrived." Sango said and then added quietly. "I don't want him using Kohaku again, like last time." A tear threatened to run down her cheek but she hurriedly wiped it away. "I don't want him to kill anymore innocent people."

"Don't worry Sango. If it is Naraku, we will not let him take Kohaku."

Sango smiled a little which made Miroku's heart beat just a little bit faster. _I wish I could see her smile more often..._

Just then, Kohaku came back, his eyes falling onto the huddled group and he raised his eyebrows in confusion, then he smiled sadly.

He wished he could stay a while longer with his sister, like before when they were younger. Those times were filled with so many memories, wonderful memories, where they could just behave like children, not having to worry about anything, not fighting for constant survival, where his family and friends from the youkai-taijiya village were still alive. Before he murdered his own father and his companions, and ultimately died in his sister's arms. That was the only time he ever felt scared, alone—

Until his sister had told him that everything would be alright.

Kohaku shook his head.

Someday he would have those wonderful memories again; he knew it in his heart. _One day..._

"Ane-ue," he asked quietly, "I'm sorry..."

Sango turned her head towards the boy and found that her eyes were beginning to water again. Kohaku walked up to her and hugged her with all his might. More tears flowed down Sango's cheeks as she wrapped her arms around her brother.

"Kohaku, don't be sorry. It's not you're fault." She sobbed into his kimono.

_I am sorry ane-ue...for causing you trouble...I have to leave soon..._

* * *

The next day, the sun was shining brightly and Kagome thought it was going to be another pleasant day, if only her friends had agreed with her. Everyone's spirits were down; even the usually cheerful Rin had lost the bouncy, skipping motion in her walk.

Kagome sighed; _I wish something would happen soon._

She felt a sudden pulse of energy run through her body, which Sango noticed immediately and readied her weapon.

"A Shikon fragment," she pointed in the direction, "that way and coming fast!"

Something, large and ominous was flying in the sky, and as it flew dangerously closer, Kagome realised it was a huge demonic crow.

She felt for the presence of the jewel fragment and shouted towards Sango and Miroku. "It's in the head!"

Miroku threw his ofuda and it struck directly to its target. It screeched loudly from the purifying power of the ofuda. Its metallic voice was piercing to their ears but they kept on going, trying to lure the youkai closer towards them. The crow swooped down, causing the winds to whirl rapidly, as it descended swiftly downwards towards its target: Kohaku.

Shippou with his kitsune magic blew green flames from his hands and the youkai quickly darted away from the boy exterminator.

Flying high, the youkai began its descent again, its sharp talons outstretched ready for the kill.

But this time, Kohaku was ready, as he flung the chain section of the kusari-gama, causing it to wrap tightly around the crow's head. Kohaku pulled the chain closer towards him with such an aggressive force, it surprised Sango.

But Sango didn't waste time on that small matter as she threw her Hiraikotsu, striking the head, making a clean cut. And the head fell with a thump, dead.

Kagome found what she was looking for, and picked up the jewel piece from the youkai's forehead. The head disintegrated to dust as the jewel was removed.

"I've never seen it that colour before. I use to remember that it was a pale pink, wasn't it Sango." Miroku remarked.

"Maybe it's being purified by Kagome-chan."

Miroku frowned and picked up the jewel from Kagome's hand, wanting to observe the colour more closely. The jewel fizzled a little, radiating small pulses of energy. Then there was a sudden flash of light and Miroku quickly dropped it to the ground, his fingers slightly burnt from holding the tiny piece of the jewel.

"Houshi-sama, are you alright?" Sango asked, inspecting his hand.

"Yes." But that sudden flash had frightened him a little. He watched as Kagome picked up the jewel again, worry etched on her face, but nothing happened.

_Interesting, _was the houshi's thoughts.

Kagome looked at the jewel piece in her hand as it began to glow a rose colour again. It had puzzled the girl as to why it had not let Miroku hold it. He was a houshi after all. However that thought seemed to pass as she placed the small shard into the little glass bottle that she had previously kept the shards in. Watching the shard glow, she almost didn't notice that another two were coming towards her.

"Huh? I can see a lot of leaves whirling around." Shippou exclaimed looking into the distance.

Then Kagome felt it, two shards of the jewel were rapidly coming her way.

_Oh no, not again._

The whirlwind swirled past the others and came to an abrupt halt in front of the young miko. He held her hands in an affectionate way and with his charming manner; he brought his blue eyes up to meet with her grey eyes.

Kagome smiled shakily, wanting nothing more than to disappear right now.

"H-hello, Kouga-kun, l-long time no see," Kagome wished that Kouga would let go of her hands, as they were beginning to sweat.

"Too long Kagome. How have you been?"

"Uh…" She thought, trying to think of an answer, "Um...alright?"

Miroku, Sango and Shippou looked warily at the ookami. Rin looked worried. Kohaku simply rolled his eyes and was about to move forward when he felt a small hand grasp onto his.

"Kohaku, don't do anything rash." Rin hissed.

"Can't I just...," the boy exterminator made a swinging motion of his arm, indicating that he wanted to hit the ookami on the head, to which Rin just gave him a look saying that he would regret it afterwards.

"Have you heard the rumours Kagome?" Kouga went on; oblivious to the strange looks the other people were giving him, "About some white youkai who killed the houshi?"

"Have you heard about that Kouga?" Miroku asked with interest.

"Yeah, I've heard. Some hideous woman who goes around killing anything or anyone who has the shards of the Shikon no Tama, there were rumours that she was in this area, particularly near the onsen."

"I see...so we're close. And what are your thoughts about this 'youkai'?" Miroku added.

"I don't know, seems strange to me, how I haven't been able to kill her. They say she likes to keep hidden, instead of showing herself...she's like a coward." He sneered. "A coward just like inukkoro...right Kagome? Kagome...?? " He turned around to face Kagome again, only to find that she was gone. Kouga looked around in confusion.

Kagome stood determinably, fortunately out of Kouga's reach, knowing now what she had to do. _This-this is perfect!! I'll make Kouga stay for a while, while his jewel shards would surely lure that youkai out of hiding…and then I can convince her to tell me where Inuyasha is…_

_Please be alright Inuyasha…and wait for me…  
_

* * *

Author's notes - 

tessen - japanese fan

ofuda - paper charm

kusari-gama - chain and sickle

ane-ue - formal honorific for older sister

* * *

Sorry I took so long to update, sometimes the right words like to wait before I can type it out ' 

Until next time...


	43. Chapter 43

Inuyasha (manga and anime) belong to Takahashi-san

* * *

The Journey Home – Chapter Forty Three 

The night was colder than usual in the thicker part of the forest, yet the fire did not help bring warmth or comfort to the small camp that was set up. That in itself was a very bad omen.

Earlier, Kouga had decided to stay for a while claiming that he needed to protect Kagome, after being easily convinced by the miko of course. Shippou and Kohaku had insisted that she didn't need his help, causing the ookami to backhand them both on the heads and then proceeding to chase them around the campsite, giving a few hours of much needed reprieve from the tense atmosphere.

Later on, despite the warnings from Miroku, the three girls went off to the onsen, carrying their weapons to protect themselves from lecherous spies. The houshi sighed and was about to follow them, but an evil glare stopped him in his tracks. He sat back down in defeat.

"Oi Miroku. Why do you do that?" Kouga asked in breathless annoyance.

"Do what?" Miroku asked innocently.

Kouga rolled his eyes and pointed in the direction where the girls had just left. "Act like an idiot in front of the women?"

"Well Kouga," Miroku replied, presenting himself in a dignified pose, "that is just part of my boundless charm. Won't you come and join me to make sure the girls are alright?"

Miroku saw that Kouga's face had flushed bright red at that thought, causing the houshi to chuckle a little.

"Well—ah—that is—" Kouga spluttered.

Shippou and Kohaku snickered in the background.

Kouga heard the snickers and glared at the two younger boys, but they took no notice as their muffled laughter only grew louder.

The ookami sighed in frustration. He never did like being in the company of humans, they were below him. Well, all except for Kagome of course, she was different. He had thought that Kagome wanted to spend some time alone with him, but she had been avoiding him ever since he had agreed to 'stay for a while'. Even his woman could be so trying sometimes.

Shippou nudged Kohaku to look at the ookami, who appeared to be deep in some thought. Kohaku whispered something into Shippou's ear and both boys started chuckling, although they tried very hard not to.

Kirara looked on with interest staring at her strange male companions. She'd rather stay with Sango, but she had her orders if a certain houshi tried anything suspicious.

"Is everything alright Kirara?" Sango asked as she and the other girls came out from their bath. The neko replied with a little 'meow' and ran up to jump into the arms of her master. Sango smoothed the fur of the neko and she replied by purring in contentment.

"Sango," Miroku said as he dotingly held the exterminator's hands, "you should have asked me to join you."

Sango's eye twitched in irritation. "Why?" She asked slowly.

"There might be danger tonight." He told her, his tone sounding rather stern, making it hard for Sango to form a response.

"You sense it too bonzu?" Kouga asked sniffing around the area. "There's something strange going on, it feels like jyaki."

Shippou noticed that Kohaku had suddenly become very quiet and yet didn't seem too worried about the situation. His eyes narrowed in suspicion, that boy had always acted peculiar, like he was...waiting for someone. He decided that he had better keep an eye on that boy. After all, it could be Naraku.

_I must be strong._

But soon the ominous feeling evaporated, replaced by a heightened sense of wariness, which was especially felt by the young miko. She knew this kind of feeling, like the many times she had felt before, it was not from the presence of jewel shards, but of the Shikon no Tama. Kagome stared at the direction where she felt the jewel's aura, but to her astonishment, she felt the aura disappear as if it was not there in the first place.

_What was that?_

The men this time went for the hot bath while the girls talked about the days events, much to Miroku's disappointment as Kohaku and Shippou had to drag him out.

Sango waited until they were out of hearing range and then began to whisper to Kagome about her concerns.

"I'm worried about Kohaku. So far everything seems normal, he's happy and I should be as well, but I can't help feeling that something...bad might happen to him. We're not sure, but we think it might be Naraku or someone like him. I have this feeling...he might come tonight and try to take Kohaku."

The miko almost gasped as the slayer voiced her fears, but she remained somewhat calm, "Sango-chan, I don't think that would happen. We haven't seen a trace of Naraku yet. He could be dead."

"But who killed him and how?"

Kagome fell silent, not wanting to answer that question just yet.

"Kagome-chan?"

Kagome almost jumped with surprise when Sango laid a hand on her shoulder. She stuttered a bit while trying to come up with a coherent response. Sango's face began to furrow with obvious worry.

"You can tell me what's been bothering you, you know, where friends right?"

But Kagome wasn't sure about that answer either.

"Please tell me what's going on. Ever since you've been travelling with us, you have been more...distant. Did something happen in your own time? Or while you were staying with Kaede-sama?"

_Something did happen..._ After hearing those words, Kagome unexplainably began to shake from the growing distress she was feeling. Her hands trembled, as she felt the hot tears welling up in her eyes making her vision blurry, just like her mind was feeling at that moment. Right now, she didn't know how to answer Sango's questions or whether she should, after all they were partly involved with all this mess. _It's not fair; it's not fair...What happened to you Inuyasha?_

And she began to cry silently.

No one could comfort her even to their best of efforts as she refused to talk to anyone, and so they had to leave her alone for a while, in hopes that she would feel better in the morning.

It was going to be a long night.

However it was Kouga who seemed to have trouble falling asleep. He found it difficult travelling with this group, he sighed, they were always too slow for his liking. And, even though he had only met Kohaku sporadically, he was the most irritating. Every time he found the perfect moment to talk to Kagome alone, he was always stopped by the boy slayer. _Why? Why must that kid want to always pick on me?! I've never done anything to him! What's he got against me? _

He had even thought that Kagome would have put a stop to his behaviour, and yet, it seemed that she didn't mind at all.

_Why?_

Everything had quietened down as everyone settled in for the night and Kouga thought he had his chance. But the way the miko was now, he knew better than to disturb a distraught woman. He listened as she eventually fell asleep, breathing a sigh of relief as her tears stopped almost completely. He heard her mumbling in her slumber and he leaned in closer in interest.

"Inuyasha..."

Kouga decided not to listen anymore.

The breeze felt cold as it brushed through the trees, making the dying fire flicker with unease, but the ookami didn't feel the cold. Peering at the now full moon he felt a shiver crawl up his spine, but not because he was cold. It meant that an enemy was approaching. He squinted, looking into the distance.

_What was that_?!!

A dark shape darted across from one section of the forest to the other with such lighting swiftness, that Kouga almost thought it was an insect. Except his eyes narrowed as the shape came closer, closer towards their camp.

A familiar scent came back to him; it was the same one he smelt when he was running through the long grass near Kaede's village, it was the strange scent of incense.

Kouga cracked his knuckles together. Was this the youkai who had stolen the jewel from the houshi? He surely hoped so, for as much as he didn't want to, he was curious to see what this youkai looked like.

Miroku and the others were also awoken by the presence.

"Something's coming." He said and the ookami agreed for once.

It was deathly quiet in the forest surroundings, it was as if the forest spirits knew that something was about to happen. But Kouga readied his fists in anticipation, it had been a while since Kouga had a proper fight and he was looking forward to it.

"Do you sense it Sango?" Miroku asked his companion.

Sango's eyes darted around looking for any sudden movements. Whatever it was, it was not going to be an easy fight. She saw Kohaku looking uncertainly around him.

"Kohaku, stay with Kagome-chan and houshi-sama."

Kohaku nodded in understanding and went into position.

For a while nothing seemed to happen.

Silence...

Suddenly, a loud, whistling sound broke out, startling everyone. It was a piercing, shrilling sound, much like a leaf whistle, but it was difficult to pinpoint where it was coming from.

And as quickly as it came, the sound disappeared and the silence fell again.

Then, something strange happened and it happened rather too quickly for anyone to react in time.

Kohaku started screaming as if he were in intense pain, clutching his head as his whole body shook. Sango quickly went to her brother to see what was wrong, when unexpectedly she was pushed out of the way. She fell with a thump and looked up to her brother in shock. _No! Not again!!_

The black hair covering Kohaku's eyes did not hide the malicious smile on his face. Sango's hands began to tremble. _Not again!!_

Kohaku then used his elbow to knock the wind out of Miroku and he too consequently fell to the ground. The boy turned again running towards a terrified Rin, picked her up and flung her across his shoulders and dashed into the night.

All they could hear was the young girl's screams of terror.

Sango quickly overcame her fear and picked herself up to chase after the boy, when she heard laughter echoing through the darkness.

It was the laughter of a woman.

Everyone stood at a standstill, seemingly transfixed by the sound of the laughter.

Kouga's patience snapped.

"Where are you, you youkai. Show yourself!" He commanded.

The laughter only grew louder. The female-like voice was terrible, cruel, mocking.

From Kouga's right hand formed the Goraishi ready to attack, he jumped and struck at the group of trees, felling them with one strike. A figure jumped to avoid the assault and swiftly landed in front of them, a smirk on the person's face.

Kagome's blood froze as she faced for the first time; the one who they said killed the 'houshi', the same houshi who was also the hanyou, _her _hanyou. The solitary figure stood tall, imposing, clothed in a pure white silk kimono. The moonlight shone directly behind her, creating an eerie glow, making her appear more unearthly. Its face was covered however, by an outer kimono, making it difficult to know just who they might be dealing with. All Kagome could see was the mouth, which was upturned into a cruel smirk. A smirk which the miko could not look away from, and likewise it seemed to her that the youkai's unseen eyes were upon her and her alone. The miko shivered.

Sango stepped forward and shouted at the ghost. "Where's Kohaku? What have you done to him, you youkai!"

But the ghost just laughed again and shook her head.

"Please," Miroku said, trying to speak calmly as he approached, "let us be reasonable." He smiled empathically. "We have heard about how you killed a houshi for the Shikon no Tama."

The ghost smiled and spoke in a strange feminine voice. "Of course," it then giggled horribly. "It was his fate."

"I know your life must have been so hard, after being betrayed by the one you loved and then to have your soul eaten by a youkai. You must have suffered so. But the Shikon no Tama won't bring you peace, only more torment. Give up the jewel and the boy to us and I shall pray for your soul so that you may pass into the next life." Miroku calmly spoke.

The ghost continued to giggle in a light-hearted manner using her tessen as if to flirt with the houshi or perhaps it was because the youkai was too hot, Miroku was not sure. Sango began to get annoyed with the conversation but Miroku raised a hand to stop her.

"Bonzu! What are you doing?" Kouga hissed.

"Do you not agree that a soul should live in peace instead of hatred for your husband, or anyone for that matter?" Miroku questioned, ignoring the silent protests from the others.

"Not really," the ghost replied as she shrugged her shoulders, "humans thrive on hate and jealousy...and power. Life is...more fun that way," she raised her other hand showing a small ball wrapped in cloth, "especially if I do this." She threw the ball down and smoke began to quickly cover the area. The smoke was thick and nauseating, making everyone who was trapped inside the smokescreen fumble hopelessly trying to find a clearing.

Eventually it had cleared up leaving them all to sigh in relief.

Except for one, and he panicked as he frantically looked for her presence.

"Where's Kagome?!" Shippou shouted.

But she was gone.

And so was the youkai.

* * *

Author's notes - 

ookami - wolf

tessen - japanese fan

neko - cat

bonzu - delinquent monk

* * *

Has Kagome been kidnapped? By whom? And what about Kohaku and Rin? Find out next time...! 


	44. Chapter 44

Inuyasha (manga and anime) belong to Takahashi-san

Warning: this chapter contains mild language.

* * *

The Journey Home – Chapter Forty Four 

Kagome lay unconscious in the strong arms of her kidnapper as it ran swiftly through the forest, the moonlight the only light to cast its eerie glow, illuminating the white silk of the ghost's kimono, giving it the appearance of an unearthly being.

Finding that it had run a good distance, the figure paused for a while to catch a breath of cold air while taking a glance at the woman as she slept peacefully.

It smiled.

* * *



Kouga cursed many times under his breath. _What kind of youkai was that? _Never in his life did he meet a youkai that was, well, sneaky.

Everything had happened so fast, that Kouga hadn't had time to assess the capabilities of this youkai ghost. Firstly Kohaku had started to act strangely, and then he had kidnapped Rin, which was not really a big deal for him anyway. Then the youkai appeared and it had approached them, had said a few words and then disappeared again, all the while, laughing that horrible laugh. He could still hear the ringing in his ears.

It never even introduced itself – which was customary before engaging into battle – and Kouga found that very rude, almost, insulting. The youkai didn't even gloat about how it was useless for them to go against her.

To put it succinctly, it had happened all too quickly.

But, what got him really seething was the fact that the youkai had the nerve to kidnap _his _Kagome.

That thing was going to pay with its life.

As he sprinted along at full speed, he came upon the clearing and found what he was searching for.

It was that cursed ghost, and it was just standing there, motionless.

Kouga smirked. This was his chance as he called forth his Goraishi. _Now I have you!_ Kouga struck at the figure, ripping it to shreds and for an instant he had regretted it, for in its arms was Kagome, sliced to ribbons.

The pieces fell in to Kouga's trembling hands.

And at that moment, the ookami thought he had lost the most precious woman in his entire life. Her lifeless face seemed to look back at him shamefully. His heart felt as if it had stopped completely. _No, Kagome!_

* * *



"Sango, I'm glad you're alright!" Miroku exclaimed with relief while rubbing her bottom.

"Houshi-sama…!" Sango replied, blushing angrily. However she was glad that he was alright. She was relieved when Kohaku had only pushed the houshi down and hadn't tried to injure him, but if he had tried to...

Sango did not want to think about that at the moment.

"Oh Sango, I was so worried that you may have been hurt." Miroku continued, rubbing her behind as if it were to calm his shaken nerves.

"Your face will start hurting if you don't stop rubbing my bottom." Sango warned quietly, not realising that an ookami and kitsune were watching in discomfiture.

"Is that how you humans display affection?" Kouga asked in astonishment. However, he didn't actually want to know the answer, and so he addressed the problem at hand.

And it would be safe to say, he was not very happy with the developments.

"Kouga, you've managed to track down that youkai?" Miroku asked gaining his composure. He saw that Kouga's eyes had flashed with an almost feral rage, making him slightly wary if such an enraged youkai should be in the same vicinity as the humans. It was short lived however, as the ookami appeared to have calmed down, and now the houshi could see that his stance was of a faint hint of regret.

Kouga made a fist with his clawed hand, causing a trickle of blood to run down from the incision, "That bastard!" He roared, viciously smashing his fist into the tree, **"That fucking bastard!!" **

"Kouga, what happened?" Sango asked, fearful of his answer.

"You, take a look at that bonzu." Kouga shoved a handful of cloth into Miroku's hands. "Yes you too, both of you, and tell me what it is." He then turned his back angrily mumbling a few more curse words.

"Why, these are Kagome-chan's clothes!" Sango exclaimed in growing dread for her younger friend. "But why are they..." _ripped to shreds?!_

Miroku's expression turned grave. "I think we have our answer here." The houshi had found inside of the ripped clothing, two shikigami which were both cut into a shape of a person. "What exactly happened Kouga?"

Kouga kept his eyes away from him. "I was following after the scent. And then I saw that ghost just standing there, and I thought I had my chance so I struck it with my Goraishi. And then that bastard pulled _that _on me." He pointed angrily towards the shikigami. "It has some nerve, making an illusion of _my _Kagome and making me think...making me..." Kouga violently snatched the clothes away from Miroku's hands and then began twisting them in frustration. "I'm going to kill her."

"I think you mean him."

Everyone looked at Miroku in astonishment.

"Him?!" they all asked at once.

"Yes." The houshi answered, displaying his pose of utmost wisdom.

"How do you know this Miroku?" Shippou asked in sudden interest.

"Ah my dear Shippou, you see before you, a man with many years of experience, a man who knows how to distinguish between a man and a woman from even the cleverest of disguises. You see, one cannot hide everything from _my _expert eye."

Shippou was awestruck by Miroku's speech and the kitsune urged him on.

"Yes, I noticed that something was not right when we had that encounter with the so called 'woman' ghost. First of all, I noticed that the shoulders were much too wide to belong to a delicate woman, as you can see from Sango's shoulders." And he rubbed them dotingly, making the exterminator blush in anger.

"Houshi-sama..."

"And also the hands Shippou," Miroku continued, unfazed by the silent threat. "Did you see the hands? No? Well if you did, you would have noticed that the hands were slighter larger, rougher in texture. Obviously the hands of a male cannot compare to the delicate hands of my dear Sango." And he caressed her hands dotingly, making the exterminator blush a darker shade of angry red.

"Houshi-sama...!"

"I was just showing an example to Shippou, Sango." And he went back to addressing the adolescent kitsune. "Yes Shippou, one must keep a keen eye on their opponent. That is the reason why I wanted to distract her long enough so I could observe her. You don't think I am _that_ lecherous?"

_Yes you are..., _were the thoughts of both Sango and Kouga.

Miroku continued on without noticing, "Whether they are a man or woman or youkai." _It could even be a hanyou._ However Miroku decided to keep his opinion to himself. "We are not dealing with an ordinary person."

"But why would someone go through all that fucking trouble?" Kouga seethed. "Trickery and killing I would understand, but going to all that trouble to disguise oneself as a woman is somebody who is screwed in the mind."

"No Kouga." Miroku replied sternly. "This is a person with a cunning mind. Let me give you an example. He disguises himself as a woman who was possessed by a youkai, spreads stories about her supposed gory past, possibly to confuse everyone, especially those who are chasing him. He uses every means necessary to remain hidden. Probably even staged his own demise to throw off his pursuers.

"We never knew the identity of this houshi, nor of this 'ghost'. We only know that they both have the Shikon no Tama, and they have both eluded us to this point. Who's to say that they might be the same person?" And after a long pause, he said, "I think they are."

"Do you mean, houshi-sama...if I'm following you...this ghost...was just a disguise to lead us on a false trail? Don't tell me that he was the houshi that we have been trying to find all along? But then..." Sango looked at Miroku with confusion showing on her face. "But why would he want to show himself and kidnap Kagome-chan and all of her things for that matter, which is very odd. If he likes to remain faceless, why did he show himself just then?"

"Oh Sango," Miroku exclaimed, snuggling against her shoulder, "so many questions and I don't have any answers for them I'm afraid, although, I can say, we had better find out who he is and quickly."

A loud smack was heard throughout the dead of the night.

"Is it possible to track Kohaku?" Sango asked, recovering from another attempt for her derrière by the suddenly overly lecherous Miroku. It seemed that he actually enjoyed this chase, much to the annoyance of the slayer.

"I think so, but why Kohaku and not the houshi? Wouldn't it be better if we tracked him down instead?" In truth, Shippou was starting to get a little bit confused. He didn't even know who they were supposed to find now.

_I don't like the sound of this but..._ "I have a strange feeling that Kohaku is with this houshi right now, and besides, if Kouga couldn't find that houshi by smell, we'll have better luck in finding my brother."

Shippou nodded his head and began to sniff the area for any clues with a determined expression. That slayer boy was not going to get away for putting the young and cute Rin in danger.

_I'll save you Rin!_

* * *



Kagome felt the wind blowing rapidly across her face as if she was running. It certainly felt that way as she struggled to open her eyes from the piercing winds which stung the skin on her face. She turned her head towards the least resistance to the winds, and as her eyes began to refocus from the blurriness of her unconsciousness, she found her attentions were directed to a wall of white silk. She looked up, afraid of what she may find, and found that a face, obscured by the darkness made it difficult to know just who her kidnapper was. Well, whoever it was, had the nerve to hold her as if they were newly-weds running into the proverbial sunset.

A strange fascination overwhelmed Kagome as she looked at the wall of white silk again, causing the odd urge to poke at it. And she did.

And she discovered something horrifying as she poked at it again, a bit harder this time.

_What...?! It's not a woman?!_

The miko wanted to test if her assumption was correct, as she used her trembling slender hand to slip into the inner folds of her kidnapper's clothing, fearful of what could lay underneath.

"Don't even think about it."

Kagome audibly gulped.

The tone and the sound of the voice had startled her so much, that the miko thought it was best if she remained unconscious until they had stopped running.

And Kagome blacked out.

* * *



It was early morning and Shippou had made good progress, a bit slow, but good progress nevertheless. But still it had frustrated him, because Kohaku's scent was everywhere. He wondered briefly if the boy exterminator was running around on purpose.

_There! _

He had finally caught on to the scent, faint but still there. With a wave of his arm, Shippou gestured the others to follow him. He hurried along in a straight direction, occasionally sniffing the air for any leads. Shippou could feel that he was getting closer and he anticipated what he was going to find…

...A river.

He stared at the offending river and stamped his foot in frustration.

The scent had disappeared along with the flowing waters of the river.

"Did you find anything Kirara?" Sango asked. The neko shook her head, tails drooping.

All three sighed miserably.

"No Kohaku or that houshi, or whatever he is suppose to be." Miroku said, dusting off his robes.

"I hate him." Kouga mumbled, "Worse than Naraku."

Miroku turned towards the ookami in a quizzical glance. "Maybe it could even be Naraku."

"Maybe, or maybe not," Kouga huffed. "At least he doesn't go around and confuse us like this. I still say that if he disguises himself, then he is just a coward."

"We could try asking around again. Or Sango could be able to track him." Miroku replied after sighing heavily.

"If we're lucky," Sango said quietly. "He's covered his tracks pretty thoroughly."

"Alright, well, come on. We've got a houshi to kill." And Kouga marched off.

Shippou rolled his eyes and looked angrily at the houshi and exterminator. "Who made him the leader?"

Miroku shrugged. "Let him Shippou. His stubbornness might lead us quicker to that houshi and hopefully Kagome-sama."

Shippou sighed in defeat. If they were ever going to find out just who this person was, the young kitsune figured it had better not end up an awful surprise.

* * *



Kagome felt the warm midday sun and she stretched, waking herself up from slumber. Blinking her eyes a few times to focus on her surroundings, Kagome found that she was alone. But a horse stood nearby munching on some tall lush grass, while a small fire was built, cooking something that made her mouth water. She edged closer towards the fire when suddenly her feet stopped moving. The realisation fell upon her; she was, besides from the horse, all alone in the grassy field. _Oh, that's just great._

Then the memories from the previous night came back to her. She remembered the ghostly white figure that had appeared under the full moon and then disappeared in to a cloud of smoke, and before she could react, the darkness had enclosed her.

And now she was all alone.

She looked around hesitantly, that youkai was probably going to come back very soon, possibly to make a meal out of her.

She hurriedly looked around trying to find her bow and arrows and found that they were lying next to her enormous yellow bag. She kneeled down to examine the bag; fortunately and strangely enough everything was still there. And stranger still, the actual bag was there, making her speculate as to why her kidnapper would bother to bring her personal things along.

Kagome slowly stood up again wondering what was going on, until two hands grabbed her, making her blood run cold.

* * *

Like to leave a review? Any comments are appreciated. And thankyou to all who have reviewed so far.

Until next time...


	45. Chapter 45

Characters of Inuyasha (manga and anime) are owned by Takahashi-san

Warning: This chapter contains mild language.

* * *

The Journey Home – Chapter Forty Five

A chilling aura swelled around her as she felt the cold hands rest upon her shoulders. The sudden extra weight made her uncomfortable and she feared the worse, when suddenly she was whirled around and then she felt herself being embraced by two strong arms.

The miko's eyes widened as she felt her body stiffened by the sudden intimacy between herself and the other body. Her eyes couldn't see who exactly was hugging her; however she caught a glimpse of a few strands of white hair and a broad shoulder that was clothed in white, impeding her vision.

_Wait...white hair? _"Um...," she tried to say something, but found her voice muffled against the person's clothes, and it seemed that he hadn't heard her either, whoever he was. She hazarded a guess, but found herself unable to speak if she found out she was wrong.

Their embrace continued, making it increasingly uncomfortable for the miko as tears started to pour down her face with fright. _Why doesn't he say anything? _And then she had the most terrifying thought, _Oh Kami-sama...it better not be Sesshoumaru. Please, please, please, no... _

After what seemed like forever, she felt her body start to shake, first with fear, and then anger. With each passing minute, her irritation grew, until she could no longer hide it.

And so she decided to channel her anger in the most appropriate manner. Lifting her foot and summoning her inner powers, she violently stamped on the person's foot.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

* * *

"Did you hear that Sango?" Miroku asked in surprise after hearing the sudden terrible yell.

"It sounded like a cry of anguish. Should we go and have a look, houshi-sama?"

"I think it would be wiser if we stayed away." He replied earnestly. "A lover's quarrel is best left alone. Besides...I hate to be the man who has a woman like that. He must be in terrible pain."

Sango narrowed her eyes as she pinched his ear in irritation. "What do you mean by that, houshi-sama?"

"S-Sango my dear, that hurts."

"Good." And the exterminator dragged him off in another direction.

* * *

Kagome jumped back in fright when the figure howled in pain as it stumbled and fell in a white heap, only to lean over in agony while holding its foot. Her heart raced, as she stared at the person who sat in front of her in a heap of silk. The person was clothed in pure white, exactly like the ghost she had seen last night. _That ghost from last night?!_ Except now she could clearly see the youthful face, right down to the soft white puppy ears that twitched in annoyance.

The voice she had just heard was not of the horrible female voice from last night.

It was definitely male...

...A very, very upset male sounding voice.

The miko found herself laughing nervously as she dared a step forward towards the familiar voice, but had to suddenly step back and winced at his tone, and his furious if fairly pained amber eyes.

"I-Inuyasha...?"

**"That fucking hurt!!!" **

That very sentence rang through Kagome's ears, especially one particular word. "You...you swore at me..." The miko could only reply.

"So? Were you expecting bloody flowers or something?!" The young man winced in pain.

"Well...I just thought." She began meekly, "I...I...," a small tear escaped from her eye. "I thought you would never talk that way again, Inuyasha." It had certainly been a long time since she heard him swear, yet she wasn't sure if she should have been shocked or relieved.

"Wh-why are you crying?!" The hanyou stuttered, as he tried quite hopelessly, to figure out why Kagome was having the first signs of beginning to cry. It was always a bad sign, and he would have gulped in fear if it not had been for the growing desire to argue with her. It was an odd sensation, the words and his tone sounded foreign to him, yet...and yet something compelled him to do it. "You're not the one with the squashed foot. This is worse than those osuwaris you use to use on me."

"Worse?!" she found herself shouting back as her temper flared. "Oh come on, it wasn't _that _painful. Besides, I thought you were a big strong hanyou." And she tried to stamp on his foot again, "How can you say that you have it worse?!" Her voice became louder. "You're the one who ran off with Myoga jii-chan after he said you had 'important' business with your heartless brother. You were gone for a week, or more...I lost count..."

"Listen to me Kagome..." Inuyasha started, surprised at the miko's temper.

"No, you listen to me dog-boy!" She snapped back at him, and then continued with her ranting. "And then I meet this gloomy miko who brings a haori that has your, yes _your_ blood on it, and you don't know how horrified I was. I thought something bad had happened to you. And—and then your stupid flea decides to add more bad news..."

"Myoga-san was just trying to—"

"I'm not finished yet! Kohaku-kun and Rin-chan weren't much help either, being silent about everything. Those kids could be so infuriating sometimes. They thought it was so funny, leaving me clueless like that.

"Then all these stories pop up about some stupid woman who couldn't get over her sorry self and so got turned into a youkai. Then last night she appears and then she kidnaps me! Kidnaps _me _of all people! And the next day I find out that she was **you **all along! You had me worried so much, I was crying Inuyasha!! Crying my eyes out!!! And—and you think you can just turn up in some stupid disguise and kidnap me?! You're a baka, you—you baka!"

He was speechless. But Inuyasha, not willing to be outdone by anyone, especially by an attractive woman, retorted heatedly, "Well, if that's how you feel about it, then maybe I should have just left you there."

And Kagome likewise, was not willing to be outdone by anyone, especially by an attractive man, replied, "Well...maybe I should have just stayed there!"

"Fine!" and the hanyou turned his back to her in a huff.

"Fine!" and the miko did the same. Although, after a few minutes had passed, Kagome realised something peculiar about their conversation, and then realised they had just been arguing. _We were arguing?! Does that mean Inuyasha is...back to normal?_

A smile grew on her face as the realisation dawned upon her. A small tear trickled down her cheek, causing the hanyou to spin around in panic from the scent of her tear.

"Wh-what-what did I do now?"

Kagome sniffled a little and then smiled again, as she unexpectedly embraced the dumbfounded hanyou and began laughing while trying to hold back her tears. Inuyasha held the young woman in his arms, trying to figure out her sudden mood swing and trying to keep balanced so as to not fall over.

Then he felt something soft and moist lightly touch on his lips, and before he realised what it was it was gone again, replaced by grey eyes and a blush painted on her cheeks.

The hanyou had to clear his throat before he found his voice again. "W-what was that?"

Her face reddened, turning her face sideways in growing embarrassment because of her unfound boldness, she mumbled. "Wh-what? Don't you know what that was?"

"I-I wouldn't ask if I d-did know." He mumbled back, and then his voice fell into a whisper. "S-so..."

"So...?" Kagome found herself asking.

The hanyou blushed slightly. "S-so...do it again. Please?"

It took just a moment for the miko to realise what he was saying, and then she nodded her head timidly, too caught up with such an intimacy with the hanyou. "But...uh...close your eyes first."

And he did, but as their lips were about to touch again, it was Kagome who felt the unwanted presence, _Shards of the jewel?!_

Kagome turned her head slowly, fearfully, and to her horror she found out who it was.

"Kohaku-kun, Rin-chan, and..." the miko shivered as she felt his frightening aura, "Sesshoumaru..." She sincerely hoped that they did not witness what she and Inuyasha had done before.

"Oh, don't worry about us Kagome-sama." Kohaku said happily. "Just continue what you were doing. And Inuyasha-san...you need to kiss her properly or it won't count."

_They _were_ watching! _In her obvious surprise, she pushed Inuyasha's head straight to the ground making him kiss the dirt. She stared at the spies in anger and a little embarrassment, tempting to blast them with her miko powers.

But she didn't.

She screamed instead.

* * *

_He must be here somewhere!_ Kouga mumbled, as he walked along, desperately wanting to find any clues about his Kagome's whereabouts.

And then he heard a woman's scream, a very familiar scream.

"That's Kagome! If I ever find that houshi or whatever he is, he's probably violating her, or something."

"Kouga, wait for us!" Shippou shouted as he and the others hurried to follow the rapidly disappearing trail of the ookami.

* * *

As they reached the area where Kouga had detected the sound of the miko's scream, they were confronted with a huge bonfire; its flames crackling and lashing out as it burned creating a large black cloud of smoke that rose slowly towards to the sky.

And in front of the bonfire stood a lone person with long flowing silvery hair, his fine clothing and elaborate armour denoting that he was of high status. His icy aura radiating around him was never hindered by the blazing fires.

All youkai knew of this regal and powerful Lord. He was as cruel as he was elegant, an authoritative, sometimes brutal youkai, a delicate face, a killing hand. He ruled the lands with upmost supremacy as he slaughtered thousands for his conquest for power. He was not one to ever show fear or irritation against the enemy, even in the direst of circumstances. _Oh how you plague my very life Inuyasha. You even had the gall to ruin one of my finer kimonos. _

After the miko had forced his brother's head into the ground, it was only then he found out the real damage as he inspected his now dirt laden kimono, a very, _very_ expensive and finely made kimono. Sesshoumaru had ordered Inuyasha to remove them immediately and that he was forbidden to burrow any of his clothes ever again.

He eyed the dirtied silk of the white kimono one last time before casually tossing it into the burning flames.

Kouga saw that the Lord was about to turn to leave, but he would not give him the chance.

"Where do you think you're going?" He almost growled.

Sesshoumaru spoke nonchalantly. "Why does that matter to you ookami?"

"I can smell Kagome's scent here. Where is she?"

Miroku, Sango and Shippou looked from one youkai to the next, fearful of each passing moment. What had happened to their friend? Where was she?

Shippou stepped forward shakily and asked the tai-youkai in a timid voice. "Rin and Kohaku, they were here too weren't they?"

The tai-youkai regarded them casually without ever having a hint of any emotion on his face. He deliberately took his time to just observe them; it was long ago since Sesshoumaru had last seen his brother's old companions, the ones who had accused Inuyasha of treachery. He was somewhat surprised and amused that they had arrived when his brother and the miko had just left. Did they know that they were chasing him? Probably not, but it was very entertaining to watch their reactions. He would never admit it, but he enjoyed watching people squirm.

The houshi and the slayer both held mixed emotions upon their visage, were they still angry? Another youkai stood beside the ookami, a young kitsune, his tail twitching nervously behind him. What was his name again?

Sesshoumaru could not care less.

"I asked you a question." Kouga said again, not hiding the urge to crack his knuckles. "Or do I have to force you?"

Sesshoumaru simply looked down on him coolly, daring the ookami to go through with his pathetic threat, "Oh really? How nice. Do you really think you can challenge me?"

Kouga stepped back, knowing he had nearly stepped over his boundaries.

"I found that miko unconscious," Sesshoumaru began, "and so I stayed for a while until she had awoken. Then I went for a while, and when I came back, she was gone, screaming about something. As for Rin and Kohaku, who knows? They are allowed to wander wherever they please. It is not my responsibility to look after such trivial matters." And then he emphasised quite clearly:

"I am Sesshoumaru. Not a babysitter." The tai-youkai was about to leave again, when he was stopped by Miroku.

Miroku and Sesshoumaru silently stared at each other, each trying to contemplate their thoughts, when all of a sudden; the tai-youkai smiled which made Jaken step back in fear.

"Houshi, I can see that something is bothering you. Are you worried about Kagome, or is it...someone else you want to ask about?"

Miroku did not flinch as he pointed to the still burning flames. "That white kimono. We saw it worn by some youkai or spirit." His eyes narrowed. "Why do you have it?"

"Why do you think the fire burns houshi?" He asked in return, his smile growing wider, sadistic.

"You killed the youkai?" Miroku asked suspiciously, refusing to step back.

"Why? Would you be upset if I said yes?" was Sesshoumaru's reply, somewhat amused by the houshi's perceptiveness. "You should feel lucky." He ended with a cold whisper. "That you and your companions are still alive. Anyone is more than willing to kill for the Shikon no Tama." He disappeared into a flash of light, followed hopelessly by Jaken who was shouting for his master's name.

"What did Sesshoumaru mean by _lucky_?" Sango asked, feeling the relief from the departure of the tai-youkai.

Miroku's eyes suddenly widened as he fearfully put a hand into his robes and not liking his findings, or lack thereof as he stuttered nervously. "I-I...my shards, there not there," he pointed to his robes.

"What, you're not joking are you?" Sango cried out. "When did they disappear?"

Miroku found that he was unable to answer as he tried to search for the shards in his robes again.

And then he stopped, after having a sudden flashback of Kohaku pushing him down suddenly. His head snapped back to look at Sango.

"It was Kohaku; he must have stolen them from me when he pushed me down yesterday night."

Disbelief was on both Sango and Miroku's faces.

"I knew we shouldn't have trusted him." Shippou grumbled. "He was probably being manipulated all this time. He isn't usually that...outgoing. Is he?"

It was a good question, which did not have a good answer.

Sango sighed while rubbing her forehead in mild irritation. "Alright, we'll go about it like this." She looked at the ookami, "Kouga, I think it would be a good idea if you would try and follow Sesshoumaru. See if he'll lead us any closer to this mystery, it's obvious he's hiding something. We'll ask around again and see what crazy stories are spreading around now. We have to find this houshi, or whoever it is, and the Shikon no Tama."

Kouga seemed reluctant to cooperate with humans, but it was for Kagome's sake and so he nodded his head and sped off, leaving the others to ask around for the miko's whereabouts, and hopefully the mysterious person as well.

* * *

Until next time...  



	46. Chapter 46

Inuyasha (manga and anime) belong to Takahashi-san

The Journey Home – Chapter Forty Six

* * *

A long, enormous centipede youkai slithered across the grass at rapid speed, intending to capture the two humans and a kitsune for ruining its rest. Its numerous legs thundered across furiously, vibrating the very ground beneath them. 

Miroku had sensed the jewel fragments' aura implanted in the head of the creature and gripped the shakujou, jumping high to deliver a lethal blow to the front of the head. It fell with a terrific crash, shaking the ground.

With the centipede now dead, Miroku attempted to remove the shard, but he was almost hesitant as he neared the slimly skin. Would touching the shard cause another bad reaction just like last time? Even now, he could still feel the tingling sensation in his fingers from the last time he had touched the shard. In all the years he had been collecting the shards; never before had he experienced a...situation such as this. It was only when Kagome had picked it up with no trouble whatsoever; his intrigue grew more than ever. Just who were they dealing with? Was it someone they knew? Miroku smiled sadly. _Maybe..._ However those fears were unfounded and he placed the shard inside of his robes. He finished off by praying for the youkai's soul to find peace.

"That was impressive houshi-sama." Sango said with appreciation, causing the houshi to bow towards her.

"Thank you my dear Sango, my heart beats faster every time you praise me." His face was serious, but his eyes were twinkling.

Sango began blushing at his obvious flirtation and quickly looked away, but not before going a safe distance away from the wandering hands.

Not too far away, they could hear applause coming from the now present audience.

"We have to agree, that was very impressive." The spokesman for the group had said. "Please allow us to invite you and your company to our village."

Miroku walked up to the headman and bowed with respect, while Shippou looked on with unconcern. Right now he didn't care about the villagers. His main concern was Rin and that infuriating exterminator boy, Kohaku. _Wait till I get my hands on him..._

"Thank you for your offer," Miroku said and followed the villagers to their home.

It was a modest village, a few huts scattered here and there, with a small hen-house and a field of green vegetables.

The other villagers looked on with interest at the new comers; there had been many strange visitors lately. A few girls had pointed at the kitsune and neko and giggled with delight. Shippou smiled a cute smile and waved at them resulting in another fit of giggles.

"Please, this way," the headman pointed to his house.

Inside, they could smell wonderful aromas of different dishes of food, apparently laid out for them. Sango could see the houshi smiling from the service; however she was ever suspicious about it all. It was as if they were expected.

"I'm so glad you decided to come back to help us with the youkai problem." The headman said again bowing low with praise.

A very confused look overcame Miroku as he struggled to know what had just happened, "Come back?" He blinked, "we did?"

"But we haven't been here before." Sango said also confused. "Have we houshi-sama?" She glanced his way but only found a dumfounded expression on his face.

"Oh…uh," was all the villager could reply. "Uh...I thought it was you by your black robes, houshi-sama."

That had spiked Sango's interest and she rushed forward to question him. "Who are you talking about?"

The man thought for a while, turning his head to the side to try and remember the appearance of the people who had come yesterday. One was wearing a black, old period style haori and a pair of off-white hakama, and he had figured that he was either a houshi or even a samurai, which was indicated by the katana and wakizashi worn on his left side. His face was covered however by a straw hat; only a mysterious smile could be seen on his face.

The man eyed the houshi who stood in front of him, had he been mistaken?

The other, as the villager thought back again, was a strange woman dressed in equally strange clothes, carrying a bow and a quiver of arrows. Considering her appearance, they had all agreed that she was a miko, probably from a foreign country. Although another theory was that she was in fact a kitsune or tanuki who had decided to disguise herself as a woman, whatever her intentions were, they could not decide. But she had appeared very fond of the odd man as she held his hand as they walked.

He and the villagers had hoped they would have helped with the exterminations; however the mysterious houshi had politely declined, asking if they could wait the next day.

"Well, jii-san, who were they?" Sango asked again taking him off his thinking.

"The man was dressed in black so I thought it was a houshi, but he also wore the daisho, so he could have been a samurai. The woman I am not too sure. She wore such strange clothing, like she was a foreigner. She had such a big yellow sack, this big. I daresay that she was a woman with a lot of strength to carry a heavy bag such as that one. We thought that she may have been a kitsune or tanuki in disguise. They were indeed the strangest pair we have ever seen.

"We were anticipating for their arrival and we had prepared the food and everything." He continued, crying out in misery.

"I do apologise, however I am wondering if you may have any idea of where they were heading to?" Miroku asked, while trying to calm the man down.

"Ah yes, let me see…he said that he was going to see someone, a miko I think. He needed to purify something."

"Did he say what it was?"

"I think he said he was going to purify his soul before he goes into battle. He says he has a lot of enemies who want him dead, and for that he has to prepare himself. Spiritual guidance, I think. Samurai or houshi would want Kami-sama to smile down upon those types of people; you know what I mean houshi-sama? Looks like things won't be peaceful around here much longer." The villager sighed heavily. "I can't see why people want him dead. I could feel that he had a good aura, a kind person, even that girl, whatever she is. Maybe another war is coming..." He got up to leave, leaving them behind to enjoy the meal.

"'Purify his soul'? What could that mean?" Shippou asked. "Wouldn't he mean cleanse his soul?"

Miroku closed his eyes, trying to make sense of the conversation. "If I may guess, perhaps he meant the Shikon no Tama." The houshi answered in deep thought. It was the only explanation he could think of at the moment, if they were indeed following the same pattern of events which were occurring every time they felt closer to their target. If it was the same person they had been trying to follow, it was definite that he had the jewel. There was no doubt.

Another thought rang through his head. Was he going to attempt to purify the jewel? Was it possible?

"Sango, whatever he is planning, we better be there to see it."

* * *

In the morning they felt refreshed from sleeping on proper beds and having a decent meal for once. Miroku almost felt disappointed for leaving so soon, however it was more important to find this houshi. It was true he would have to admit, that he was actually enjoying this chase, although the real reason he was unsure of. True, there were numerous rumours that he was dangerous, but it was also true that many facts were simply not adding up. What were this person's true intentions? If he was truly a threat as they made him out to be, why had they not found him yet? It was evident to him that they were dealing with someone who was very, _very_ devious. _Nothing like Naraku..._

He was not exactly sure what to make of it.

He sighed, looking longingly at the now neatly folded futon wishing he could go to sleep for just a little longer, a wish that would also include a certain woman slayer sleeping beside him.

"Come on Miroku, don't daydream like that. It might give Sango funny ideas." Shippou said pulling the sleeve of the houshi.

Sango and Miroku rode on Kirara's back once again, while Shippou ran swiftly below, heading in the direction where they hoped they would successively find the whereabouts of the faceless person and, more importantly, Kagome.

As they rode on Sango worriedly asked, "I don't like this houshi-sama. It seems like we've been chasing different people, or one person who constantly changes his disguise just to throw everyone off. Why is he going into so much trouble? It's like...he doesn't want to fight, but only wants to keep away from people. But when it comes to the Shikon no Tama, he won't hesitate to kill, we know that much.

"And from the description, Kagome-chan is travelling with him, as a hostage or to track the shards, we don't even know. What if he tries to harm her in some way?"

"Just pray that Kagome-sama can take care of herself until we get there. And from the villager's story she seems to be in no danger at all. Remember, we're not dealing with an ordinary person."

Sango urged Kirara to travel faster. _Be safe Kagome-chan..._

* * *

Two lone travellers walked along a dirt path beside the river, the warm midday sun making a certain miko sleepy, as her feet started to drag. Inuyasha, who walked a little in front of her noticed, and so he had suggested that they stop for lunch, confident that they would not be found just yet, nor was there a need to go and collect the other shards. Though, there was still the matter of the old houshi, Katashi, who now had some shards in his possession. He would have to be dealt with soon, before it was too late. 

_The jewel pieces are having their dark influence on him..._

_Poor thing, _another voice echoed, _I wonder... would you have to kill him too? _

Inuyasha sincerely hoped the negative.

The voice laughed.

He then smelt something, an aroma he knew all too well and all thoughts of fighting, being hunted down and the Shikon no Tama disappeared.

Life was good.

He heard the miko giggle as she offered the instant ramen and he clapped his hands in joyful admiration.

"Kagome, you are truly a goddess sent from the heavens..."

"...To serve you ramen on a whim?" The miko replied drily, although the hanyou could see a twinkle in her eyes.

He smirked a little. "Well, that goes without saying," which earned him a playful slap on his arm.

They sat together in contentment slurping the ramen, with the hanyou asking for a second helping.

Kagome just smiled. It was good to see him eating again.

She wiggled her toes against the trickling warm waters that washed over her tired feet, bringing a sense of calm over her being. _Ah, this is what I wanted for a long time._

Peering over to the hanyou, she discreetly observed his behaviour. He was now clothed in a black haori and a pair of pale-coloured hakama that was folded up to his knees to prevent them from getting wet as his feet lay idly in the waters. His hair, which was tied down in a black ribbon, flowed loosely against the gentle breeze, partially hiding his face from the miko's view. His overall image was, beautiful, haunting.

The miko felt a shiver run up her spine.

She wished he would wear his old fire-rat haori and hakama. The colour red was a colour that somehow was best suited for him, well she thought so anyway. It was an image which always gave her warmth and a sense of loving protection. Now, she felt that the person sitting next to her was not her hanyou at all, but another presence, somebody powerful and a presence that was darkening, mysterious.

Kagome looked back at her cup of ramen while slowly spinning the noodles around with her chopsticks. She looked at him again trying to read his mind; it used to be fairly easy to know what he was thinking by just looking at his eyes, but now...

"You want to ask me something?" He asked without looking at her.

The miko scooted closer towards him, not wanting the nervousness to overtake her, but the way he was able to read her mind without looking, was a bit...intimidating.

The hanyou had said very little if anything, ever since he had 'kidnapped' her, which in itself was an exciting if surreal experience. And it was only yesterday he had faced them, their old companions, Miroku, Sango, Shippou and even Kouga. Yet he spoke to them as a stranger.

Kagome gazed into his haunted amber eyes, trying to see what he was feeling right now. Did it still hurt even after all this time? Was he scared to face them again, afraid that he would be cast aside again, just like before? And was this the reason why he chose to keep himself hidden from all eyes, so no one would ever know who he was, as he confiscated every shard of the accursed Shikon no Tama?

She ran her fingers through his snowy white hair and saw that he had closed his eyes, seemingly enjoying the gentle sensations. The strands felt smooth between her fingers as she lightly combed them.

"Kagome," he whispered into her ear, as he leaned quietly onto her shoulder, "I am always such a nuisance to you."

Those words made her eyes water, and she wrapped her arms around him. "You're a baka if you say that. You're only _sometimes_ a nuisance to me, not always. And most of the time, it's unintentional."

She felt small puffs of warm air tickling against her neck as he laughed, and her skin tingled as he brought his arm around her waist.

"Unintentional?" He asked as he looked at her in a way that made Kagome's heart flutter wildly. "Only someone like you would say such a crazy thing."

"Well—," the miko huffed, "excuse me for saying such crazy things. Can't I be worried about you?"

Inuyasha leaned forward again, this time touching the skin of her cheek with his lips. "I'm only teasing you."

The questions still ran through her mind, however since she could sense that he wanted to avoid the subject, she let it go for now. Yet when the time came, she knew she would be still apprehensive in asking any questions concerning his past. Would Inuyasha be willing to answer them, especially when it concerned his own companions? It was difficult enough trying to ask him to tell a little about his life before he was sealed to the Goshinboku tree. Trying to ask him about what he thought about his life now, was going to be near impossible.

"You're not hungry Kagome?" The hanyou asked, abruptly bringing Kagome out of her musings. He then smiled slightly. "If there is something bothering you, ask me, alright?"

She found herself only able to nod as she leaned lightly on his shoulder. Kagome decided it was best to allow him some breathing space for a while; she didn't want to bring back terrible memories so abruptly back into his conscious.

Closing her eyes, she made a promise with her heart. She promised that she would be there for him from now on...

...Always.

* * *

Katashi sat with his followers inside a small temple near the base of the mountain. It lay hidden in the forest and known only to a few select spiritual people. Only a few days ago, Katashi had come into possession of some fragments of the Shikon no Tama. Yet the colour of the fragments remained a deep violet hue, no matter how long and how persistent the houshi was in his efforts to purify the tiny jewel pieces. He knew from sight that the actual jewel was of a brilliant rose colour and its aura felt warm, alive like a living soul. But the pieces he held in his hand were cold, almost as if they were dead. It was peculiar and had caused him countless of sleepless nights. 

But he was not one to give up, especially when that pesky and annoying hanyou was on the loose, stealing shards that rightfully belonged to him. Every time they had been close to his capture, the hanyou always managed to escape with elaborate and sometimes insane plans, not to mention those strange spiritual powers he had seemingly possessed. It also did not help the fact that the hanyou even managed to escape the skilled youkai-taijiya group – with a hostage – which only added the salt to the wounds, it was simply infuriating. The houshi feared that if he did not stop this murderous hanyou from obtaining the whole jewel...

Katashi suddenly stood up and stalked outside the temple to the cold, crisp air in hopes to help relax his mind.

Naoko, the only miko in the group, whispered to her companions after their leader had walked outside. "Ever since we got those jewel shards, he just sits there and keeps staring at them. I am a little worried about it."

"You don't think he's possessed by it?" Hisato asked quietly, and then hesitated. "No, not Katashi-sama, he's the only one who possesses enough spiritual power to _not_ be influenced by the jewel. It's all that hanyou, youkai or whatever he is – I don't even know anymore – it's all his doing I bet. Katashi-sama says he's a hanyou, but there are also rumours that he is human, or a youkai or even...a devil. Even his aura fluctuates from time to time, so it's difficult to know what he is exactly. We've been trying to track him down for Kami-sama knows how long, and not once have we managed to capture him. I hate this senseless searching for the jewel. I bet he's just making fun of us. I just know that this will end badly."

Murmurs echoed in the temple, their feelings were mutual.

* * *

Outside, the night air was cold and so were Katashi's thoughts, he coughed a little. He had been coughing a lot lately and he felt himself getting weaker every day. He opened his hands as if holding the Shikon no Tama itself, it would glow a beautiful pink and it would all be his. Closing it again the glow vanished. 

All his life he was a houshi, he had trained and studied hard – a strenuous journey for those who followed the spiritual path – but it was worth it. No one else had possessed such knowledge and power such as he had from the many years of his chosen discipline. People, from the lowly peasants to the wealthiest daimyos appreciated his guidance and would often ask for him. Beautiful women from all over the country would ask exclusively to be in his company. He himself was wealthy from the money and land he had earned from his divine services. Katashi was at the height of his existence.

However, something made him realise that it would not always be this way. It was continuously thought about at the back of his mind, on and on, without ever relenting.

It was on that ominous day, when he gazed into the reflections of the mirrors and rivers that he passed by. The reflection was not of a youthful and handsome face. It was old, tired, lacking the spark it once had.

And he became terrified.

He knew not to be scared of old age, but unconsciously, he was. All the wealth and prestige he had gained would all be turned to dust when he passed on into the next life. Katashi would not allow for that.

That was how he had first heard of the Shikon no Tama and its history. According to the scrolls and the accounts by other houshi and miko, it possessed the ability to grant any wish the person desired. It had a catch however, saying it could also corrupt an evil soul, twisting the wish into a curse.

Just like that hanyou, that hellish creature was an embodiment of a corrupt soul. Katashi felt that it was his duty as a houshi to exterminate this being and save the jewel for his safer hands.

He grinned; yes it would be much safer with him.

The aura of the jewel fragments glowed darkly, enveloping him.

_Yes…the jewel should belong to you…_

_Only you…_

* * *

Author's notes - 

daisho - when a katana and wakizashi are worn together by a samurai

* * *

Sorry for the wait, had essays due, and clinicals, not to mention the internet connection keeps cutting off. 

Like this story so far?


	47. Chapter 47

Characters of Inuyasha (manga and anime) belong to Takahashi-san

The Journey Home – Chapter Forty Seven

* * *

After thanking the villagers for their directions, Miroku, Sango and Shippou set off again.

"This is so frustrating." Shippou commented, feeling too lazy to run. "We can't even follow the scent, so we have to rely on asking around, which takes longer." He clenched his fist in frustration. "That person is probably being horrible to Kagome, making her cry, making her do things that she doesn't want to. Like carrying things that a way too heavy for her or making her walk for endless days without rest and without food, or...or maybe even—even..." His eyes widened in horror. He did not want to think of _that _possibility. "She had better be okay, or he's going to pay, that...that..."

Miroku and Sango paid little attention to the kitsune's ranting, rants that sounded all too familiar whenever he complained about a certain hanyou. Instead, they concentrated on the direction they were heading. Yet, with each passing step, it was becoming more apparent that they were indeed heading on to a very familiar route. Miroku looked at Sango and he could see the frown on her beautiful face; he knew that she was thinking the exact same thing. With his hand, he reached in for attention.

"Is it just me, or are we heading to the exterminator's village again?" Sango said, while watching where his hand was heading to.

He quickly withdrew and gave an innocent smile. Kirara meowed in agreement.

"Don't tell me he's going there now is he?" Sango frowned again in annoyance, "there's nothing particularly important there."

"There should be." Shippou replied. "Didn't everyone we've asked say that he was going there because he wants to see a miko?"

"There's no miko near our village." Miroku said, "Unless of course he is referring to Midoriko."

Sango's eyes widened. "But...why is he going there?! What would he want with a miko who has been dead for centuries?"

Miroku just looked at her, his face in quiet reflection. "I'm not sure Sango, but the way things are going now, he might be trying to purify the jewel. I just don't know how he is going to do it. The Shikon no Tama does have a tragic history," he sighed, "no one has been able to completely eradicate the jewel. Youkai, even humans have fought over for its possession, all thinking they are doing the good deed, when it is actually the jewel's power that manipulates them to its will. And even though we think Naraku does not exist any longer, there are others who may become like him. Let us pray that _this_ person is safe and knows what he is doing, because...," he held Sango's hands shakily, "I don't have a very good feeling about all this."

And the woman slayer knew by the sadness in his tone, he knew something that she was almost too apprehensive to find out.

* * *

A lone boy watched the houshi, exterminator and kitsune head off on to the road towards his old home. Initially, Kohaku was uncertain about following them back to the village. Even though he was told to go there, it was where his old life was, his family, the whole village, his memories. But that life had faded away, and now, he was ashamed to go back to his own village, more ashamed to face his sister and ask for her forgiveness. He had killed his own father, a fact that would never change. Who would forgive him for being a murderer? His eyes looked towards the ground. He did not want to go back there and see the tears in his sister's eyes again.

_Kohaku-kun, it is true that you cannot change the past, but do you want to make your sister cry every time she gets the chance to see you? She wants to forgive you, do not throw that chance away._

_Inuyasha-san... _

"Will you be alright boy?" An elderly person asked him as he walked by. "It's dangerous to go wandering off by yourself."

Kohaku nodded. "I'll be alright," and off he went, discreetly following his sister.

He felt that he didn't need to hurry, it would be a while before Inuyasha and Kagome arrived at the village, but he was worried. Worried of what might happen when his sister and the others would reach there as well. As much as he wanted to keep both groups separate, he knew that Miroku and Sango had chanced upon another shard and that meant that their meeting would be inevitable.

Kohaku was scared, yet he did not want to keep secrets any longer.

* * *

A man clothed in black walked on the dirt road, his eyes focussed to the task before him. "Where are we going exactly, Inuyasha?" Kagome asked as she walked beside him, readjusting the weight of the bag on her shoulders.

"My resting place," he replied in that strange monotonous voice, causing Kagome to shiver. She looked at him to see if he was joking with her, only to see that he had a vacant expression on his face and his eyes were glazed over, like he was in a trance.

"Inuyasha, can you hear me?" She asked, squeezing his shoulder a little in attempts to gain his attention.

The hanyou blinked before he smiled towards her. "Did you say something?" He asked. "Here, I'll carry that bag for you."

Kagome heaved the bag off her shoulders and gave it to him, not surprised when he easily slung the bag on to his shoulder with one arm. She cautiously asked him again, not liking how the hanyou was more distracted than usual. His previous comment had no doubt frightened her. For some odd reason, it sounded as if he was heading to his death. "I asked where we were heading off to."

Placing a hand over where the jewel lay underneath his kimono, he replied softly, "Midoriko-sama has asked me to go where she had fused her soul with the youkai, the birth place of the Shikon no Tama."

_S-Sango's village...?! _"But why there?"

However, the young woman received no reply as the hanyou continued to walk on, seemingly oblivious to his surroundings and towards her, causing Kagome's worries to only grow. _Inuyasha... _

* * *

Nearby, a pair of eyes gleamed through the bushes, watching the couple's every move.

"There's that samurai everyone's been talking about, the one who has the Shikon no Tama. I can sense it." His voice was dark, menacing, "And he has a human female with him, although, she's nothing I've ever seen before. Her kimono is so strange; she must come from the continent."

"Ooh, wouldn't she be fun, even though she's only a human. But, they do say that they have the nicest scream before they die." The other said while rubbing his clawed hands together. "Can we kill them aniki?"

"Yes of course my dear little brother. Once we have obtained the jewel, we may have our own fun with those humans."

The other youkai grinned in delight.

They stalked forward towards their prey and were pleased when the two humans had not noticed their presence. However, as they neared closer, they noticed a strange aura around the samurai – almost like a hanyou aura – and the human woman, so they decided to proceed with caution, wondering how their prey would react before they did away with them.

* * *

Kagome could feel the jyaki crawling on her skin and she suppressed a shiver. _No point in being scared now_, she thought. She gripped her bow in anticipation. The jyaki did not feel as strong as she had first thought, but she had to be careful, youkai had the tendency to be unpredictable. The young miko peered towards Inuyasha as he kept walking with purposeful steps, ignorant of their current situation. _Can't he sense them?_

"Not again." He said, coming to a stop in his stride.

But before Kagome could answer, the two youkai had stepped out from behind its hiding place to face the two humans. One was in human form, tall and elegant – not to mention egocentric – with a pair of sickening deep yellow eyes. While the other remained in its original form, a monstrous and hideous cross between a rat and a weasel. It stood on all four legs looking rather calmly, watching them with intense crimson eyes. From its mouth, Kagome could see small pairs of red dots glistening between its fangs, and she wondered what they were.

"So, you knew we were here already," said the humanoid youkai, smirking, "then perhaps you would like to hear a funny rumour. We heard that some kind of human samurai killed a white youkai for the Shikon no Tama, which we found very hard to believe, until we found out today that he is not a mere human but a pitiable _hanyou_." He pointed a crooked rat-like finger towards Inuyasha, and pointed his nose in the air from the disgusting smell he had just discovered coming from the 'samurai'. "_You _have the Shikon no Tama, don't you? What does a _hanyou_ want with a jewel that is not worthy for him? It should belong to a full-blooded youkai such as us. If you give the jewel to us, we _might _spare your little girl." He then licked his lips as he chuckled menacingly. "What do you say hanyou, a fair deal isn't it?"

The humanoid youkai's smirk fell when he saw that the hanyou had his back turned away from him, "H-how dare you turn your back against me?!"

Inuyasha continued to ignore him as he whispered quietly to Kagome. "Kagome, will you get rid of him please? I'm getting a terrible headache."

However, the youkai had heard and he blew into a rage, metamorphosing into his larger form to display his superiority. His fangs grew longer, his face elongated and his fur grew rapidly, showing more of his rat-like personification. "First you ignore me, and then send your pathetic wench with no sense of style to kill me? Who do you think I am?" And he launched himself straight towards the miko, his outstretched claws ready to strike.

Kagome fumed as she swiftly drew her bow and arrow, taking direct aim towards the rampaging youkai. "**No one** says bad things about how I dress." And without hesitation she let the arrow loose. The arrow whistled through the air and straight into the youkai's head, creating a huge burst of spiritual power, and the beast was no more.

Yet there was no time for reprieve, as Inuyasha quickly scooped Kagome into his arms and darted for the trees, just as a mountain of tiny rat-like creatures escaped from the other youkai's mouth in a flurry of squeaking and drool, and it was then Kagome realised what those tiny pairs of red eyes were.

Her stomach turned.

She found herself seated in one of the branches of a tall tree and her large bag was placed next to her.

"Stay here Kagome, and shoot them if you get the chance." Inuyasha said, jumping back down to face his opponent before Kagome could utter a word.

"Using your filthy human to kill my brother," the overly large youkai growled, making the grounds he stood on tremble with the vibrations. His mouth was lined with off white fangs and the horrible pairs of little red eyes that blinked every so often lay partially hidden inside his mouth. "You let a woman protect you? Now I can see that you are just a weakling, it would be a laugh to kill you."

And once again, he opened his huge mouth and spat out another mountain of rats, heading unswervingly forward in a mass of grey fur.

Inuyasha, not wanting to waste anymore time, leapt upwards and then swooped down, unsheathing his katana to try and stab at the enraged youkai. "This is your end, youkai!!" He shouted, aiming for one of the red eyes.

"I could say the same for you, you filthy cur!!" and from the youkai's horrid mouth, poured a landslide of rats, fur and squeaking, quickly engulfing the hanyou.

The young miko could see the mountain of rats swarming in all directions in attempts to suffocate the hanyou as he tried frantically to slice them apart with his katana. However, it wasn't long until he became overcome by the constant stream of rodents as they relentlessly scratched and bit at his skin.

_That does it! _Kagome could not stand to watch helplessly any longer as she reached for another arrow. She pulled the bow string tautly."Over here," she shouted, trying to gain the attention of the youkai, "yeah you, you hideously cyclopean, phlegm covered piliferous, mucus-brained, furry legged Rattus norvegicus annoyance of luminously intelligent but pulchritudinous hanyou!" Kagome irately aimed the arrow at the youkai's head, quickly firing it. The youkai screeched in agony as the purifying power burnt at its fur and skin.

Unfortunately, Kagome had narrowly missed her target; instead the arm of the rat-like youkai was torn to shreds and the blood spurted out from the badly severed limb. It hissed violently, thrashing its head, its nostrils flaring in a rage, and suddenly, its blood red eyes were directed at the miko.

Kagome gulped, not wanting to be engulfed by a flood of rodents, as she aimed another arrow towards the youkai hoping to hit her target this time. And yet her arm started to shake when she began to think about where the youkai's mouth – or his cargo – had been, and her stomach turned again. _Not now!!_

"I think I will kill _you _first, you annoying wench!" And he opened his mouth to aim at her.

**"KAZE NO KIZU!!!!!"**

An immediate rise of youki encircled the youkai with a rush of rapid and colliding winds, and in an instant, five rays of light exploded, ripping up the ground beneath and tearing everything in its path. Kagome covered her eyes from the garish light and the dust particles that flew into her face. Slowly the smoke disappeared, leaving nothing but five deep trenches along the ground, the only evidence of what had just happened.

Kagome could only stare at the hanyou, who was kneeling on one knee while holding the large fang-like katana, Tessaiga, above his head. She could not see his face, but somehow she could tell that he was smirking. She thought it was a sight that she would never see again.

Kagome smiled, _Inuyasha…_

Inuyasha swung the blade a few times before sliding it back into the scabbard. _It's been a long time since I've used Tessaiga…It feels…strange. _He sighed and then leapt upwards towards where Kagome sat.

"What…?" He asked when he saw her smiling.

"You used Tessaiga." The smile never left her face.

The hanyou looked at her strangely for a while, but did not answer as he placed the Tessaiga behind him on the inside of his kimono where it lay hidden from sight.

Finally he said, looking down, "With that carnage, we better get moving." He then threw something down towards the damaged earth, creating rising clouds of smoke.

"Come on. I'll carry you Kagome." Picking the miko up, he began swiftly leaping from tree to tree until Kagome could no longer see the trails of smoke.

She snuggled into his chest as the winds flowed in different directions as the hanyou alternated between running and jumping through the obstacles of branches and leaves. She then glanced at his face, noticing the small scratches on his skin.

"Inuyasha?" she asked when he looked at her. "You got hurt because of me again." Her fingertips lightly touched his cheek. "I-I got distracted when I saw all those rodents. I couldn't properly help you in any way."

The hanyou squeezed her shoulder lightly, "Keh. There you go again, talking nonsense. These scratches are nothing, they will go away by tonight. Anyway, I think you're doing fine, so don't be so down about it. It's not like you had to face a life or death battle every day. When the time comes, you will know what to do."

"Thank you Inuyasha." The miko smiled as she quite dangerously pushed herself up to kiss him on the cheek while he ran at blinding speed. "You always know how to make a woman feel good."

The hanyou tried miserably to not blush, nearly stumbling when he felt her soft lips on his cheek, leaving a tingling sensation, "Oi, no kissing scenes while I'm running."

Kagome just laughed and kissed him again, liking how the growing rouge on his cheeks made him look more like the hanyou she knew before, and she loved that very much.

* * *

The next day, Sango had spotted the huge claw-like marks on the ground and urged Kirara to fly down so that she could examine them.

"Shippou, can you find any scents?" Sango asked.

"No, no, no," the kitsune exclaimed in anger. "He used that stinky stuff again. I can't smell anything here." He then rubbed his nose as the smell continued to tickle at his nostrils.

"Well whatever it was, it must have been a pretty big youkai. Like a large canine?" Sango suggested. "Wait," she took a closer inspection of the marks, "I think I've seen these before," _But where…? _Suddenly, she covered her mouth with her hand. From all the battles she had encountered during her time, these particular slashes in the earth were very distinctive.

An unknown emotion made her heart thump loudly against her chest and she gripped the fabric of her kimono in attempt to calm herself.

"Houshi-sama," She asked cautiously, "do these marks remind you of something or… someone?" She did not want to think of that possibility. However if it _was _possible, it would explain many things. One of them being the reason why Kagome had not sent out any distress signals or any signs whatsoever since her capture. _It's not possible…_

She looked at her companion and found him intently studying the torn earth.

"Maybe, maybe," was all he was able to say before his eyes were diverted elsewhere by the sound of Shippou's voice.

"Hey, what do you have there, Kirara?" the kitsune jumped up onto the branch to find that the little neko was sniffing at a dark blue cloth that lay stuck on one of the branches. Shippou then brought the cloth to his nose, thoroughly sniffing for any clues.

His eyes widened, his voice almost failing him, "This is…is Kagome's scent." _And I can smell something else too, like incense…_

"Well Shippou, did you find something?" However, before Sango could receive a reply, Kirara suddenly darted down towards the ground and transformed to her larger form. She then swiftly picked the woman exterminator by the collar of her kimono and lifted herself off the ground again flying towards the horizon, in a direct path to their village.

"Well…that was interesting." Miroku said after a while, finding it somewhat humorous that the neko was dangling Sango at precarious heights from her mouth.

"Yeah," Shippou agreed. "I've never seen Kirara so happy before. I mean, from just smelling that cloth, she became overjoyed." He then gave the cloth to the houshi. "It's got Kagome's scent on it, and something else, the same scent of incense. Does that mean it _was _the same person all along? It was, wasn't it, from the very beginning when all of this happened. All we did was chase this guy all over the countryside and he still refuses to be seen. What does it all mean Miroku? Is he…trying to run away from us?"

Miroku fell silent when Shippou had pointed out that piece of information, the possible reasoning behind why they never did see this 'mysterious' person.

And it had frightened him.

* * *

Until next time... 


	48. Chapter 48

Character of Inuyasha (manga and anime) belong to Takahashi-san

The Journey Home – Chapter Forty Eight

* * *

A few days later, Kirara had once again landed near the edge of the forest for a much needed day of rest. However the neko could not do so as she started to sniff the ground, almost digging her nose amongst the long grass and moving her head from side to side in search for the scent that she wanted.

"Can you smell anything Kirara?" Sango asked, hopping off the large youkai, curious about her strange behavior. "Is it that houshi? Is he here?" Sango gripped the strap of her Hiraikotsu and proceeded to follow Kirara into the forest, her heart racing in anticipation of what she may discover, or who.

_It better not be him…_

They walked in to a particular area and Kirara then beckoned her master to look through the dense bushes. Sango edged closer, listening to the voices that echoed clearly into her sharp ears. The sounds were muffled by the undergrowth; however she could make out the voices of a strange man and a young girl. Stalking ever closer but remaining hidden, she peered through the leaves of the bushes and nearly started in surprise. Under a tall ancient tree, sat a young girl dressed in a checker-patterned kimono happily chatting away to a green toad-like youkai, who seemed unable to choose between wanting to doze under the cool shade of the tree or risk listening to the girl's incessantly chirpy ramblings.

Sango found herself sighing in relief; the girl was safe and clearly unhurt from her ordeal. Yet her worry increased as her thoughts fell on to her brother, wondering what had happened to him and hoping that he was safe.

Kohaku had become another mystery to her. There was no doubting that his strange behaviour had bothered her; he was so different, not shy nor timid. He was confident, loud, and dangerously leaning towards the aggressive side. In all honesty, she never knew what to make of his change. She would often conclude that that was just part of his development into a young adult. But there was also the inkling that he had influence from a certain somebody, for she knew that none of her family had ever acted in this manner.

_Just like him…?_

She blinked angrily and scanned around the area for any signs of her younger brother, but her eyes only settled on to Rin and Jaken.

The woman slayer frowned. Sango found it rather odd that Rin appeared a little too ignorant about her whole situation, suspiciously odd. And it annoyed her. It was the one thing she hated the most, and right now, she knew that it was so. Her instincts were never wrong.

_A setup…?_

Her fist tightened in anger. Sango was not one to be messed around with, especially when someone would willingly involve her brother, just to spurn her. She was not certain about that fact, but it was enough to make her want to curse him.

"Do you think that she will get married soon?" Rin's voice echoed into the slayer's ears, suddenly taking Sango's interest. She watched silently as Rin gathered small pink flowers into her petite hands, while continuing to pester the small ugly green youkai.

"Who are you talking about?" Jaken replied rather lazily, struggling to open his eyes from the warm weather and the pleasant cool breeze.

"Kagome-sama…she is really happy with him you know. If they get married, then our whole family will be complete, wouldn't that be nice, Jaken-sama? Rin always wanted a big family. They'll have such a nice wedding, everyone will be there. Rin hopes you will be there too, Jaken-sama, you will come to the wedding too?"

There was an angry mumble from the youkai.

"It'll be so wonderful. Kagome-sama is going to look so nice in her kimono that Sesshoumaru-sama is going to give for her as a gift. Sesshoumaru-sama agreed to arrange everything for—"

Sango's eyes widened in horror as she slowly backed away from the scene. She never noticed how her legs had somehow obeyed a silent command to escape the conversation. Her mind was sent into confusion, not knowing whether to trust this piece of information but she knew one thing, she had enough.

Quickly climbing onto Kirara, she raced out of the forest in disbelief.

Kirara landed with ease in front of Miroku and Shippou who were waiting for her to return. The houshi noticed how pale the exterminator's face had become when she climbed off the large neko, and continued to remain quiet while her eyes refused to look away from the area she had just come from.

"Are you alright?" He waved a hand in front of her, worried of what she had discovered. "What did you see there, Sango? Did you find him, the one with the jewel? Was Kohaku there?" He asked frantically.

Sango slowly turned her head towards him, her mouth moving a little and then she blinked a few times, realising where she was. She grabbed Miroku by his robes and forced her eyes to look at him, but all she could see was a blur because she felt her eyes beginning to sting, the first sign of tears.

"Kagome-chan is with him." She replied, almost inaudible if it weren't for Shippou's sensitive hearing.

"I saw Rin there, talking with Jaken. She said something about Kagome-chan being so happy to get married and then something about Sesshoumaru being happy to arrange it all."

The two men could only stare at Sango and then to each other in disbelief. However, when Miroku opened his mouth to voice his opinion, he quickly shut it again when he was faced with the most fearsome expression he had ever seen on the exterminator. He felt her tightening her grip on his robes and her voice trembling with anger.

"Houshi-sama, I don't know what's going on. But I know it's all lies! Ever since Kagome-chan arrived here, all we got was trouble. People are hiding things from us, Kagome-chan, Rin, even my own brother for goodness sakes. Why? What are they hiding? Who are they hiding? They refuse to tell us anything." Sango shook her head and then tried to calm herself with deep breaths.

"I get the feeling that someone is playing with us." She finally said, "He or she is pulling our strings.

"From the very start we've been trying to find the shards of the Shikon no Tama. And when we found out it was shattered, we went looking for them again. Then we heard rumours about this houshi, and we went searching for him. How long have we been searching for him? We chased after him, and he turns up as someone else, first a houshi, a youkai and now some wandering samurai, the cunning bastard.

"And do you know what the worst part is houshi-sama? Ever since Kagome-chan returned, I can't help but think about that stupid hanyou." She spat.

Miroku winced at her use of the word hanyou, but he laid a hand on her shoulder in attempts to comfort her.

"I kept telling her that he was no good for her while he still thought about Kikyou. I hated every time I saw her face so heart broken by him. I told her to just forget about him and find someone better. And…and," she choked, "when I saw him blocking the well with that horrible smirk he had, I—I just had to drive him out…get rid of him. After that, I thought I could forget about him and all the horrible things he had done to her. But with all that's happening now, those horrible memories are coming back.

"Yet Kagome-chan refuses to believe us about what had happened, she's furious at us, that now…. I feel so uneasy around her. She still talks to me, to you as well as a friend, but I know, I know she hates me. She won't forgive me.

"Houshi-sama, everyone is hiding something from us, and they're laughing at us because of it. I hate it houshi-sama! I hate it!!" She then buried her face into his shoulder and cried in frustration. She knew it was true even if the houshi never said it; he had known all along.

But she did not want to know, or find out.

The years had passed since 'that' incident, yet the memories were still burnt into her mind. In her numerous dreams, she always saw the image of his cruel, sickening smirk. It would then change to an image of another face, frightened like a child, then back again to his smirk, back and forth, until Sango forced her thoughts to go blank.

She had sworn that what she saw was the truth: the hanyou had blocked the well, she remembered it all to the last detail and she was never free from its constant reminder. This time though as she held onto Miroku's comforting embrace, she saw his smirk, mocking her, just like the way Naraku would smile at her when he did something to spite them.

Sango gasped.

* * *

Shippou ran into the forest straight after he heard the news of Rin and thanked kami that she was safe from that boy exterminator. The kitsune never knew why the boy had continuously goaded him into almost wanting a fight with him. It was as if he did it on purpose, just for the fun of it. Shippou growled, what did he do to the exterminator? He never picked on him.

He sniffed the air and found the scent that had captured his heart, Rin. In his mind, she was the cutest girl he had ever seen, with a smile that made everything bad disappear. The only person in his way of having any chance with her was Kohaku. Sango's brother or not, it did not matter to Shippou, it was obvious he was the better choice. But even if by chance Rin didn't return the feelings, the kitsune was going to make sure that he would punch one in Kohaku's mouth just for annoying him. _I'll show you, you annoying, stupid…_

Shippou ran faster and came to the spot where he found Rin, who was now humming a soft tune. But before he could utter his relief he was stopped by Jaken, who had jumped in front of him, brandishing his weapon.

"What do you think you're doing here?!" shouted Jaken, staring hard at the kitsune while standing in front of the girl in attempts to hide her from the boy's questioning eyes.

However Shippou took no notice of the youkai who was obviously much shorter than him, kicked him out of the way, and then darted out to Rin.

"Rin I'm glad that you're okay." He looked around, "Where's Kohaku? He didn't…hurt you or anything?"

The young girl hesitated answering the kitsune's questions, struggling with wanting to answer with the truth, or to answer with a lie. Rin chewed at her bottom lip, her mouth unable to move properly, so Rin simply shook her head.

Shippou's face became crestfallen and looked away from her, not liking that maybe she too, was part of this insane plot. He ran his hand through his hair in frustration and sighed. "You won't tell me what's going on, will you Rin?"

But the answer did not come from her.

"You boy," Jaken threaten with his staff of heads, "go before I kill you." And he did not let his threat go, as he used the staff to create massive flames which burnt the ground and a few trees in its path. The youkai looked at the damage and was disappointed that the kitsune was not burnt along with his flames.

"Jaken," a very familiar, chilling voice said. "What are you doing?"

Jaken stuttered when he heard Sesshoumaru's voice. "Uh…n-nothing Sesshoumaru-sama, there was just a boy here who was bothering Rin. I've gotten rid of him."

Sesshoumaru's cold expression never changed. "Good." And then he walked off, leaving Jaken more baffled than usual, wondering if his Lord's statement was a compliment or not.

* * *

_That was close! _Shippou sighed again as he walked out of the forest with less energy than he had when he ran in. The meeting with Rin had not gone as he had expected, and he began wondering if it was worth troubling themselves with the rather frustrating search for the shards of the Shikon no Tama and its possessor. Each time they felt they were a bit closer to their goal; they missed their opportunity and the chase would start all over again at the beginning.

_You can really annoy someone by forcing them to start from the very beginning, after making them run around and around in circles…_

Shippou blinked, hearing the hanyou's voice echoing from a distant memory. His thoughts would often lapse into the past, some memories he wished he never had to relive ever again, many things he wished he could take back. But no matter how many times – often ending in frustration – he tried to quash his past, it would always come back to haunt him. Sometimes, he would see the hanyou's form drowning in the miasma, calling for help, and then all too abruptly, Shippou would awaken, his eyes unexpectedly flowing with tears.

Shippou took out the dark blue cloth they had found the previous day. Bringing it close to his nose he sniffed it again, the smell of incense still potent. But his interest was in a different scent, faint, yet still detectable. He never knew what made him keep the cloth but the scent made him remember things that he wished would never resurface again. He held the cloth tightly in his hand.

He knew.

But, all thoughts vanished as he spotted a shape flying across the sky.

"What's that?" He shouted, pointing towards the sky causing Sango and Miroku to look up as well.

They recognised the shape of Ah-Un soaring majestically in the sky, but more importantly, they saw a glimpse of Rin _and _Kohaku riding on the dragon's back. Shippou rubbed his eyes and focused again on the figures that were travelling so carefree and somehow, he knew that the exterminator boy was smirking. Sango looked at Miroku with wide eyes and then back at her younger brother, her words failing her.

It was Shippou who broke the silence.

"Kohaku, come down here at once!" He shouted, "I know you can hear me!!" He urged himself to run faster as he kept calling for them to stop but to no avail as the dragon youkai only rose higher into the sky, gaining speed as it flew away.

Sango, not wanting to waste anymore time, grabbed Miroku by the arm and then commanded Kirara to follow the dragon. They travelled quite a distance chasing after the flying youkai and Sango hoped that they wouldn't lose the trail, as it would probably lead them to wherever Kagome was now. She narrowed her eyes in annoyance. That miko would have a lot of answering to do.

"Can't you go a bit faster Kirara?" She pleaded to the neko youkai.

Kirara roared with renewed energy and charged forward, gaining speed. They were catching up with them and getting closer.

"Sango, don't go any closer." Miroku shouted, grabbing the exterminator by the shoulder.

Sango had only a split moment to react and she pulled Kirara's neck to command her to fly straight up into the sky and to flip a few times to a complete stop. She glared at the houshi, asking him what the big idea was.

"A barrier, a very powerful one," he replied, wiping the sweat that had formed on his brow. "We would have been burnt for sure if we had gotten any closer." To prove his point, he threw an ofuda and it sparked with vicious energy as it touched the invisible barrier. "It's lucky you stopped so quickly Sango," he added.

However, his mind raced at this new development. Previously he had made the assumption – after the ghost youkai incident – that it was Inuyasha who had been eluding them all this time. And the more he had given it some thought, the more he became sure of the possibility and yet, the sudden surge of spiritual power left him rethinking his theory. He frowned, was it a houshi after all? Or was there something else going on? His thoughts juggled with this discovery but he was not one to be stumped by it, for he had the feeling that they were nearing the end of their journey.

Miroku and Sango now noticed that the dragon youkai had disappeared completely out of sight. Kirara also noticed something and called for her master to look down. They did and they flew down straight away, to find Shippou lying on the ground in a comical heap from being lightly toasted by the spiritual barrier.

"We were so close." Sango said a little annoyed about the whole situation. "Every time we get close to discovering something or getting close to where he is, he just vanishes or makes up some ridiculous story to fool just about everyone, and to annoy us. He likes hiding like a coward and it's getting on my nerves. Why can't he face us and fight like a man. If we ever get him, I'll—"

* * *

Meanwhile, as a young couple was walking through the long grass, one of them sneezed very loudly.

Kagome smiled at the hanyou, watching him rub his nose in irritation. "Are you alright Inuyasha? That's four times now. You might be getting hay-fever from all this grass."

"Doesn't feel like it." He sniffled. "Someone is saying bad things about me, really bad things."

"Oh come on, you don't have _that _many enemies." Kagome joked. "Well…not that many to make you sneeze like that."

"You'd be surprised." Inuyasha answered, smiling secretly, and then had to ask the miko for another tissue to blow his blocked nose.

* * *

I kept you waiting didn't I?

Until next time...


	49. Chapter 49

Characters of Inuyasha (manga and anime) belong to Takahashi-san

The Journey Home – Chapter Forty Nine

* * *

Night had fallen once again on the lands and the stars began to appear, decorating the sky with its twinkling light.

A small abandoned hut, situated in the middle of the woods, held the solitary flickering light, the only evidence that it was occupied. Inside, a small fire was burning, with a pot of stew simmering on the top, its enticing smell not going unnoticed, as Kagome's stomach rumbled in anticipation.

"S-sorry…"

Inuyasha couldn't stop a tiny smile from forming, as he brought the small clay bowl to scoop the hot stew, giving it to the young woman who sat opposite to him. They ate mostly in silence, the only sound being that of chopsticks clicking together and the slurping of soup. Kagome looked up from her bowl, her eyes watching the hanyou as he ate, watching him as he reached out for another serving when he had finished.

"Is something on your mind, Kagome?" He asked, noticing the questioning look in her face, and trying not to notice how her grey eyes would change from darker to lighter shades by the glowing flames of the fire.

"You said," she began quietly, finding it harder to not blush by his darkened amber gaze, "something about Midoriko? Is she the same miko who created the Shikon no Tama?"

Inuyasha lowered his eyes to the wooden floor. "Yes. She wants to purify the Shikon no Tama; to end its retched cycle," he smiled strangely, making Kagome feel slightly uncomfortable.

"And…how do you feel about all this?" She whispered in reply, and when seeing that he had remained silent, she continued. "Before, you remember, you wanted to use the jewel to become a full-blooded youkai? Now you're collecting them again and from my own experience, you would do everything you could to obtain them, hiding, disguising yourself, and even kidnapping me from our… our," she found she could not say the word. "Is it for the same reason, or is it…," her heart was thumping, unknowing what his reaction would be to her question. "Is it because of something to do _with _Midoriko? I never got the chance to ask you about it and I've been afraid to ask, but it's been nagging me for a long time." Kagome scooted closer towards him, "I—I want to know. I want to know what had happened to you to make you think that you should be so aggressive, just to obtain every last shard. Because sometimes…you made me feel that you're not there anymore, that you're a different person.

"Whenever I say something about that jewel, I'm not talking to 'Inuyasha' anymore, it's someone else and I'm scared…" The rest of the words failed her when she saw him look away from her.

He was silent as he watched the flames of the fire dance in its frenzy, the miko's questions echoing in his mind, causing the hazy memories to seep back to him. Inuyasha remembered the times when he had travelled great distances in search for the jewel shards; though, he never knew where his feet would take him. He would simply walk, or run, never noticing the change of the winds as they swept across his face, how the seasons would change, the flowers and trees growing, dying, it was never noticeable to him. All he remembered was the darkness enveloping around him, neither calming him nor suffocating him. Instead, his surroundings were filled with an emptiness refusing to slacken their grasp.

However, he remembered the sounds clearly during his travels. He could hear the clashing and ringing of metal against metal, the winds whistling as the youkai or human attacked him, the sounds of heavy thuds as his victims fell dead around him.

He would awaken, to find himself in some ramshackle hut, or even a temple, his clothes torn and bloodied, but otherwise unharmed. In his hand would be the result of his battles, a few shards tainted with blood. He would then walk away, erasing himself from the scene, to find his next target.

It was his endless cycle and would remain so until the jewel was completed and purified from existence.

Inuyasha's thoughts drifted away, as his head turned to find Kagome had started to fiddle with his black haori, in idleness or in nervousness, he could not tell. He found himself reaching out to touch her fingers; he held her hand in his larger one, noticing how smooth her skin was against his.

"Have I…really changed that much?" He asked hesitantly, still looking at her hands while tracing the lines with his clawed finger.

Kagome shook her head. "I just feel this aura around you, and I know I'm not a trained miko or anything, but I could tell it wasn't yours, it's too powerful. Sometimes I can feel it overwhelming me. And there were times when your whole demeanor just changed, like…someone had possessed you. I'm scared that he or she is doing something to you without you knowing. What if they were trying to harm you?" Kagome moved closer again towards him, bringing her arms to gently enfold them around his head, her fingers stroking the soft downy fur of his ears. "I couldn't let that happen to you; I won't let that happen to you."

Kagome listened for a response from the hanyou as she held him, but after a long period of silence, she moved her head to look at him.

Inuyasha had fallen asleep.

* * *

The night drifted along peacefully as Kagome watched Inuyasha sleeping beside her. She was a little troubled that the hanyou had still avoided answering her questions – whether he did it on purpose or not – but one look at his sleeping face made her anger disappear completely. And so, as gently as she could have managed, she laid him down onto the pile of hay that was piled up in the corner of the hut, and then placed her head onto his chest.

For what seemed like an hour, she felt the rhythmic rising and falling of his chest, and it would have lulled her to sleep, yet her mind refused to do so.

Kagome would not let go of the fact that _someone _was manipulating her hanyou for his or her own will. She recounted the many times he had acted oddly towards her and every time she knew, the Shikon no Tama or something like it, was the one responsible for his change in personality.

She then remembered Inuyasha mentioning something about Midoriko; was it by some strange turn of fate that the ancient miko had somehow become a part of him? Was it possible?

_It _is _Sengoku jidai, weird things always happen here._

But then, she wondered what had happened to Kikyou and what had caused Midoriko to jump from her to the hanyou. Kagome wanted to know.

There was a sudden jerk from underneath her causing her to jump up in surprise. In a panic, she attempted to place a hand on his shoulder to calm him, but she stopped when she found his eyes were on her, his ink black eyes.

"I-Inuyasha…?" Her heart beat quickened by his unwavering stare. An aura of sheer power slowly encircled around her, an overwhelming spiritual energy warming her very soul, and suffocating her at the same time.

Inuyasha's mouth began to move, yet it was apparent that it was not his voice that she heard.

"Kagome-san," the voice spoke. "At last, I am finally able to meet you in person."

"Who-who are you?"

"I am Midoriko." 'She replied affluently, bowing her head slightly. "I have heard much about you from Inuyasha-san, or…at least from his subconscious." She paused for a while as she closed her eyes. "You are a constant in his dreams, always there, but never there. And you alone, have become a constant plague, an image he cannot let go. Tell me," she continued before Kagome could protest. "Why must you give him so much grief?"

As much as she tried to ignore it, Kagome was finding it very difficult to restrain her irritation, the only obstacle stopping her was the fact that Midoriko was using Inuyasha to speak to her.

"Are you…in love with him?" Midoriko asked, finding the young miko's poor attempt to quell her anger highly entertaining, her query only adding to her amusement, when she saw that the girl's face had become very red as she spluttered for a response.

"Th-that's none of your business! You have no right to ask me such a personal question." Kagome could feel the burning sensation on her cheeks. "And who gave you such a big mouth, accusing me of being a plague. At least I don't use him like some sort of puppet to manipulate at my will."

Midoriko smiled, appearing unfazed by her rant, causing Kagome to wonder why every miko she met in Sengoku jidai would always seem to have the divine gift of provoking her, the ancient miko being no different.

"Kagome-san, you look at me as if I had forced myself onto your dear hanyou. May I convince you otherwise? Or must you continue with your claims that I would be so petty enough to force someone against their will?"

Kagome remained silent, knowing that she was speaking truthfully and that she was not one to be joked around with; however, she did not like the way Midoriko was using the hanyou to smirk, in an almost arrogant manner, towards her.

"Might I add," she continued while flicking her hair, "that it _is _my business to know about your relationship with him, because I find myself a little confused about you. All these years he has constantly thought about you, and yet, you were cruel enough to continually evade him. Did you abandon him?"

The miko's question shocked Kagome, and she exclaimed loudly, her eyes stinging with tears, "No! I would never do that. I would never abandon him. I just couldn't get here."

"You could not get here?" Midoriko repeated, her eyebrows lifting in interest. "So you are not from around here. Did you come from the continent then?"

The young miko shook her head. "No, there's this well I used to travel back and forth from Sengoku jidai and the future. But it was blocked, so I couldn't get through to come here; it was only by chance that I was able to meet someone who was able to help me get here." And when Midoriko asked – with a slightly perplexed expression on her face – what she had meant by travelling from the future to the past, Kagome replied by saying that she didn't know, and the well had just always worked that way.

She watched as Midoriko appeared to consider something, her face now set in a frown, murmuring words every so often, such as 'future' and 'extraordinary'. It was a strange sight, seeing the ancient miko use Inuyasha as a means of communication. She could see just how differently the flow of speech, the hand actions and the facial expressions were being displayed by the hanyou. And truthfully it was the most unnerving experience, especially when Midoriko was using him to ask about her relationship about said hanyou.

Kagome blushed in embarrassment, her reddened face not going unnoticed by the other miko.

"Why are you blushing?" Her smile grew. "There is nothing to be shy about Kagome-san, you can tell me. We are at the most fundamental level, both women. You do have my complete assurance." But when the young miko's face told her otherwise, Midoriko had to cover her mouth to stifle herself from laughing.

"However, I shall leave that subject for a more appropriate time. I simply wanted to know, that is all. I can see the questioning look in your eyes asking me for the past." Her expression saddened. "Fate is unpredictable, is it not, Kagome-san? And so is human nature, so easily lead by well placed lies; Naraku knew how to play that game, and it was unfortunate that your friends were caught by his web."

There was a sound of creaking floorboards as Midoriko stood up and walked towards the window of the hut, her smooth movements being observed by Kagome. She hesitantly cleared her throat to catch the other miko's attention, finding the courage to ask about what had happened during the time after Inuyasha had started his travels, alone.

All she heard was silence.

"Please tell me." Kagome pleaded quietly.

"Why? Why do you want to know?" Her tone had become suddenly cautious, but the sight of the young girl's tears made her relent.

"As you may have already known, my soul was fused with Kikyou-san; so that her shouki wounds sustained by Naraku would be healed by my spiritual power, and I would be able to assist her to purify the dark hanyou by the means of the completion of the jewel. However, the body of a human or youkai cannot compare to a body made of grave dirt and bones. Kikyou-san's body was deteriorating, from my own spiritual powers or from her growing wounds inflicted by shouki, I did not know, but her body was eroding away. I had to leave; I did not want another person to die because of me. I have already caused too much suffering from the creation of the Shikon no Tama.

"I did not know how I was going to complete the jewel without Kikyou-san's help, but I needed someone to assist me, someone strong, and someone willing." Her eyes turned to Kagome, "I had thought about asking you, as I could sense a great power within you, and so, I went to search for you. However, I only saw the hanyou, all alone.

"Did you know what he said when Kikyou-san approached him?" Kagome shook her head.

"He said your name." She whispered quietly. "The look on his face told me everything: he had lost his purpose, and he had died inside. I decided then, that _he_ would be the one to help me obtain the jewel. And I have stayed with him ever since. He would lend me his strength and I would lend him my spiritual power."

"But these spiritual powers," Kagome interrupted, "would they harm him?"

"He is half youkai; of course it would harm him. I do try to minimise my power as much as possible, so that any ill effects would only make him slightly drowsy, or he would simply faint. But it is not only I, who reside in the Shikon no Tama. As you saw from time to time, the evil within the jewel would take any opportunity to control him. I must not give them that chance. They are restless souls, and will remain so if the jewel is not complete. It is my duty to purify them, thus freeing them from their seal, and from mine."

There was a long pause, where nothing was said between the two miko, but it was cut short, by a sudden noise of voices shouting Kagome's name, and feet running rapidly closer towards them.

_Those voices sound familiar..._

"Kagome-sama, are you in there?!"

"Kagome-chan, come out, you're in danger!!"

"Kagome!!"

The miko gasped loudly in fright as Miroku, Sango and Shippou hurriedly entered the hut, one after the other, their voices full of fear and heavy breathing from running.

Their eyes darted around the room, first on Kagome, and then, at Inuyasha.

They stood there, a deathly silence hanging in the air with no one daring to speak. Sweat began to form on Kagome's forehead and she struggled to get up, but something, a strange power, was preventing her to do so.

Miroku was the first to recover his voice. "I-Inuyasha, wh-what are you doing here?"

"It doesn't matter," Shippou answered for the houshi, his fists clenching tightly. "All that matters is that he shouldn't be here. Didn't we throw you out? What gives you the right to be here with Kagome? She doesn't want a _hanyou _like you. She never wanted you; all you ever did was whine about her, and then go to Kikyou whenever you got tired of her, or whenever she went home. Just let Kikyou drag you down to hell, it would be better for all of us."

Kagome opened her mouth to speak, only to find that she couldn't. Her mind cried for them to stop, to tell them that they were being stupid.

"Why don't you answer hanyou?" Sango threatened, her hands grabbing onto Inuyasha's black haori. "Or is it because it is the truth? How could you? Kagome-chan was our friend, she was in love with you, and you betrayed her!" She violently threw him against the hard floor, where he lay limp. Sango drew out her ninja-to, the tip of the blade directed at his throat. "Sometimes you make me wish that I had never met you." The blade rose up, and in one swift motion, she brought it down to stab him.

Kagome screamed.

* * *

"Kagome, Kagome! Wake up!!" Inuyasha tried frantically to wake the miko up, squeezing her shoulder as hard as he possibly dared. He had woken up to the sounds of her choked sobs, and was trying to break her from her nightmare.

At last her eyes snapped open, her frightened grey eyes staring back at him. She gasped and in an instant, her arms were suddenly around him, hugging him as tightly as she could.

Kagome's body shook as she started to cry again. "Kami-sama, they tried to kill you. I screamed for them to stop, but they couldn't hear me. It was so horrible, Inuyasha, I really thought that they were going to kill you. It felt so real…"

The rest was muffled by her sobbing, her tears saturating his haori. Inuyasha held the miko in his arms while he ran a clawed hand through her hair, hoping to calm her down. He sighed in relief as the woman's crying stopped, and he lifted his head to look at her, his heart clenching when he saw the tears trickling down her face. Using one of his haori sleeves, he brought it up to the woman's face to dab her cheeks dry from her tears.

"The dream couldn't have been _that _horrible?" He asked, trying to smile.

Grey eyes began to fill with more tears, as she launched herself onto him once more. Inuyasha blinked in confusion, while his arms easily embraced her, bringing her closer to him. He heard her mumbling against his haori and he nudged her to look at him.

"Your dream was _that _horrible?" He tried again, and Kagome nodded. "You said they were trying to kill me? Who were they?"

Slowly, reluctantly, Kagome brought her eyes to meet his.

"They were, our friends."

An eerie, blank expression formed on the hanyou's face from hearing those words, and he remained motionless, his gaze directed at nothing. But the trance-like state did not last very long, and his attention was now focused on the miko. He sighed as he saw her bite her lip, a habit he knew she did whenever she was worried about something.

"You worry too much Kagome." Inuyasha said, finding his lips on hers, yet not knowing whether it was to calm her nerves or his.

"You worry too much…"

He could not stop his hands from shaking.

* * *

Until next time... 


	50. Chapter 50

Characters of Inuyasha (manga and anime) belong to Takahashi-san

The Journey Home – Chapter Fifty

* * *

_The scents of the winds have changed._

Sesshoumaru stood alone on a cliff, the youkai-taijiya village not far from his point of vision. Eyes scanned the perimeters of the forest which surrounded the fortress-like structure, watching for any suspicious movements from within the forest, for the village held no particular interest to him. He was waiting for his brother, who was late, yet again. However, the tai-youkai knew he could afford to make the occasional allowance for his bastard sibling's lack of punctuality.

After all, Sesshoumaru was one who had a high tolerance for patience.

Rotating his shoulders to prevent them from becoming numb, he contemplated his next task. He gripped the wooden box tightly with his elegant fingers, and then drummed them on the box to measure the weight of the contents inside. He stopped, realising that the drumming of fingers was improper behaviour, and so, he settled for assuming that everything that was needed was in the box. He would not dare allow Jaken to hold or even touch the finely crafted box, as it contained very important scrolls concerning land ownership and trade, and other, more important contents. No one was permitted to touch it, except for his brother.

"Sesshoumaru-sama," he heard Jaken saying in his familiar whiney voice. "Why are we here?" It was apparent that the toad-like youkai was displeased by the idea that the Lord had to _wait_ for his pathetic brother.

"Jaken, be silent. You annoy me." And to prove his annoyance, the tai-youkai punched Jaken on the head, silencing him.

The little youkai could only watch helplessly as his Lord walked gracefully away, his pure white kimono and his silky silvery hair the only thing noticeable in the dullness of the night. His yellow eyes peered towards the sky, and he sighed, again.

There was no moon.

* * *

A silhouette of a large horse trotted quickly on the dirt road; amongst its heavy cargo of weaponry, were two passengers, talking idly about nothing and everything.

Their conversation had come to the topic about their friends, to which Kagome was a bit reluctant to speak about them, fearing that she would upset Inuyasha in some way. Yet to her surprise, it was him who was asking questions about them, asking how they were doing and what they were currently doing. As a consequence, the woman began to happily talk about them, telling the now human man about her interactions with them, and what she supposed how they felt about chasing a 'mysterious houshi' who had the Shikon no Tama. She saw him smile at this, and she wondered what he was thinking about.

"They were always determined." He answered, somehow again reading her mind. "Tell me, how is Kohaku-kun coping around them?"

Kagome noted the sudden change of the subject, but decided to ignore it for now, as she was relieved that he was more willing to talk about their companions. She smiled, "You should have seen Sango-chan's face when she saw how much Kohaku-kun had changed; she couldn't believe it, especially when she saw him trying to pick a fight with Kouga-kun."

He looked down at her in surprise, "Really? He was picking fights? That's strange; he was always quiet and polite when I was around him." He paused, his brow furrowing. "He didn't actually _fight _with Kouga-san, did he?"

"No," Kagome giggled. "But he seemed to enjoy getting Kouga-kun so riled up. I can say they were all pretty much surprised, seeing him like that. They couldn't tell where he got it from, but I think Sango-chan and Miroku-sama have their suspicions. Except Shippou-chan, he's really irritated by him. Jeez, the way he acts sometimes reminds me of you, sometimes worse." A sudden thought came into her head. "You don't think Kohaku-kun is doing it on purpose?"

"I...hope not. I never knew I was such a bad influence on people. I'll talk to him later."

"Don't be like that." She gently chided, holding a finger to his lips. "He probably acts like you because he respects you so much."

"Seems like a funny way to respect someone." He replied, trying not to notice how her simple touch was making his skin tingle with warmth.

"Yes, it certainly is very funny." Sesshoumaru answered for the miko, as he mysteriously materialised in front of them, almost causing Inuyasha to fall off the horse in fright.

"D-don't do that!" He accused, his hand gripping his chest in attempt to stop his heart from beating so rapidly.

The tai-youkai simply ignored him. "I do not see how the boy would want _you_ as a role model. I almost find it laughable."

"Oh, and I suppose you could do better?" Inuyasha replied drily.

"Yes." was the older brother's reply, "Of course. You see how well behaved Rin is?" However, before Inuyasha could make a retort, Sesshoumaru replied with, "No, it is best that you do not answer that. Besides, I have come here for more... dire matters which we must discuss."

Kagome saw Inuyasha narrow his eyes incredulously, a look which puzzled her, and she wondered why the hanyou turned human was suddenly so disbelieving of his own brother.

"Now?" he asked. "Couldn't you let someone else do it instead?"

"No." Sesshoumaru then indicated the wooden box that he held in his hand.

"It's alright, go with him. It's obviously something very important." And to her surprise, Kagome kissed Inuyasha softly on his lips, while her arms encircled around his neck.

Inuyasha's eyes flew open by the sudden, warm contact of her lips on his, and didn't have the time to react as the miko had already moved her face away to look at him. He could clearly see her cheeks stained with rouge, and her eyes in such a gaze which he was unable to describe, yet he knew what she was secretly trying to say to him.

"But I don't want to leave, not _now." _He tried to insist to the woman, feeling a sudden desire to stay where he was.

"I promise you Inuyasha, after you're done with Sesshoumaru and his dire matters, I will give you more than a kiss." She cheekily kissed him again, whispering, "Alright?" She saw the reaction on his face.

Kagome giggled.

"You are so unfair, Kagome." Inuyasha sighed as he reluctantly climbed off the horse.

"Life is unfair, Inuyasha." Sesshoumaru replied while grabbing the dark-haired man by the collar of his haori and dragging him away before Kagome could have the chance to say anything more.

* * *

Kirara decreased her speed as she neared their destination, definite that the scent was the right one: the scent belonging to Kagome. She paused for a while to sniff the ground. She stopped when she realised that there were now two scents, and she sniffed the ground again to try and identify the new scent.

"I can smell Kagome's scent, it's this way." Shippou pointed to one direction.

Kirara growled and turned her head in the other direction, attempting to tell her master to follow her lead.

"You want to go this way, Kirara?" Sango asked, and the neko nodded, making the exterminator sigh. "You _have_ been acting very strange lately."

"Shippou, maybe it would be a good idea to find Kagome first before—" But before Miroku could finish his sentence, the kitsune had already scampered off in the direction where he had previously pointed out to. The houshi shook his head before turning to follow Sango and Kirara deeper into the woods.

The neko stopped as she sniffed the ground, ignoring the scent of incense tickling her nose. It was the scent that she had been afraid of forgetting, the scent of him. For as long as she could remember, she had tried to catch a whiff of his scent – when no one else was looking – but all she could find was nothing but a trace of his presence, and she was only left with a wish that he would come back some day.

Meowing happily when she had found that the scent on the ground was more definite, and luckily heading in one direction, she quickly leapt away, leaving Sango and Miroku to chase after the neko while pondering her strange behaviour.

It wasn't long however, before they lost sight of Kirara, and they had to stop to catch their breath and try to determine the location they were currently situated.

"This part of the forest is definitely near our village." Sango commented while trying to find any tracks left by the neko. "There, houshi-sama, this way."

As they reached a clearing in the forest, Miroku laid a hand on the exterminator's shoulder to warn her. "We must be careful; I can sense a surge of youki nearby."

Nodding her head in agreement, she signalled for both of them to crouch down and crawl towards the presence with their weapons close at hand. "This should be a safe enough distance." Sango whispered. "This person is here, I can feel it." _We'll see just who you are..._

Cautiously, they peered over the edge of their hiding-place, hoping to discover the cause of all their problems.

They gasped with disbelief on their faces.

* * *

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes in contemplation for his next move. His brother had somehow made another strategic manoeuvre to yet again, avoid his capture, and the tai-youkai knew that now he was in a position to lose. It was time for a drastic change in plans.

"Do not even _think_ about it, I mean it this time, Sesshoumaru-san."

The tai-youkai would not let his brother's taunt impede him in his rightful win in their shogi game.

A small movement had caught his eye and he darted a casual glance towards it. _Those are Inuyasha's companions? _His mouth upturned into a smirk. _Really now...? _

"I don't like the way you're smirking."

"It is nothing, I assure you." He insisted, as he placed the wooden piece down on to the shogi board.

This time, it was Inuyasha who smirked. "That was a very bad move _aniki._"

However, Sesshoumaru was not listening, because his sensitive hearing had now picked up the sound of an intruder. A low growl was emitted from under his breath, warning the trespasser to leave.

"What's the matter now?" Inuyasha asked, not bothering to look up from the board, skeptical if his brother's growling was genuine or an attempt to cheat him from another win.

"Neko," the tai-youkai hissed venomously, his fangs almost showing from his scowl.

"You are not tricking me again, you cheat..."

"Inuyasha...neko..." He repeated, causing Inuyasha to look in the direction Sesshoumaru was growling at.

* * *

_Kirara, what are you doing there?! _Sango was in a panic after seeing her feline companion boldly standing in front of their mysterious person.

She had been disappointed that even though they had finally caught up to the mysterious person, they could not see his face as his back was turned away from them. All Sango and Miroku could see was his long dark hair tied up in a ribbon, and his dark clothes which made him almost invisible in the darkness of the night.

"Any ideas, houshi-sama?" she whispered.

"No idea," he whispered back. "His clothes do look like the ones worn by the houshi. But it is rather hard to say exactly from here."

But before they could advance any further, they too, had heard the low growling noise coming from where they had just been looking. Miroku and Sango had once again peered over the bushes, to find Kirara, growling at the person in black. They could also see the tai-youkai, his stance poised and ready, yet waiting for the neko to make the first move. They could only watch in horror, as the man slowly stood up as well, and they watched as his hand reached for the handle of his katana. They heard Kirara roar fiercely and then, with one big leap, her sharp claws were on him, pinning him to the ground.

For a few moments, an unearthly quiet fell on the whole area as the spectators' eyes were on the neko who had the man forced to the ground without any possible way of escaping.

* * *

Kirara growled again, the rest of her fangs displaying their potential to her captive as he lay stiff. Nearing closer towards him, she sniffed in his scent from his clothes. She warily raised her head up, her nose twitching continuously in thought, and with one final look at his face, she swooped down...

...and gave one, big, sloppy lick across his face.

* * *

"What is she doing now?" Miroku asked his eyes wide open in shock after seeing the neko lick the man, and then starting to rub her head against his. "Mauling him, perhaps?"

"I think...she's...nuzzling him." Sango could not believe it either. She had thought that Kirara was going to attack the other houshi, and yet, there she was, actually _greeting_ the stranger as if she hadn't seen him for many moons. In truth, Sango was lost for words at the neko's overfriendly behaviour, and she figured that if Kirara didn't feel any threat from the person, then perhaps all the rumours that he was so dangerous were false.

"What do you think Sango? Should we help...him?" Miroku asked unsurely, while looking at the man who lay unusually still under the neko. He made a glance towards her, but could not determine what she was thinking. Was she feeling as hesitant as he was about discovering who the man was who lay on the ground?

All his thoughts were interrupted when he heard a terrible, agonising howl coming from the neko as she thrashed her head around in pain. Sango quickly jumped up from their hiding spot, the Hiraikotsu swinging in her hand, and with her battle cry, she threw her weapon directly at the man who was struggling to get away from the area.

_You bastard, I'll kill you for hurting Kirara!_

The weapon swung around in perfect circles as it flew in the direction aimed by the exterminator, slicing a few trees in the process. Eventually it flew back and Sango caught it with skilled precision. She scanned the area to find whether the man had been caught by her Hiraikotsu. She cursed.

He was already gone.

"Sango," Miroku ran up to her, after seeing where the other person had run off to. "I've looked at Kirara, she is alright. It's just a red powder used for diversions. I think you can just wash it off with water. Stay here," and before Sango could protest, "I'll go after him, please..."

The exterminator slowly nodded her head, "Just be careful...he seems to be an unpredictable person to deal with."

"I know," Miroku got up to run after the dark clothed man, hoping to Kami-sama that he would at least listen to them. _Your presence near Sesshoumaru is not just a coincidence, is it?_ His eyes darted to a small movement amongst the trees, and he stopped momentarily to watch the figure swiftly jump from tree branch to tree branch, further and further away from him. _Are you trying to lead me there, or are you leading me away from him? _

Miroku decided to follow him.

He found himself running towards the edges of the forest, his fingers gripping tightly around his shakujou, anticipation and apprehension on how the next following events would flow.

Finally, he stopped as he found the person he was searching for.

The man who they had been chasing for many moons, the man rumoured to have the Shikon no Tama to its near completion. He stood there, silently, the winds whipping at his dark locks, the only movement made by him. His face was covered by the shadows of the straw hat he wore, but Miroku knew that he did not have to see the person's eyes to know that he was watching his every move.

"Your shard, please, houshi-sama."

Miroku found himself flinch at his quiet tone, yet he remained calm. "I am sorry my friend." He smiled. "I seem to have unfortunately lost them."

The man smiled as well. "I see. How unfortunate. Perhaps the _kitsune_ would know?" His smile turned into a smirk when he saw the houshi's eyes widen. "Do not worry; I can take care of him quite easily, at any time I wish. However, you, I will get rid of you now."

Drawing the blade from out of its scabbard, he suddenly lunged forward, his lethal aim directed for Miroku.

* * *

Until next time... 


	51. Chapter 51

Characters of Inuyasha (manga and anime) belong to Takahashi-san

The Journey Home – Chapter Fifty One

* * *

Miroku stood still as he watched the man run towards him, the sharpness of the blade not missed by his eyes and, in a split moment, he lifted up his shakujou, blocking the katana from reaching its mark: his throat. He winced at the piercing sound the blade made when it struck against his staff, yet he was thankful to Kami that he had missed. However, in an instant, the houshi felt a sharp kick to the back of his knees, causing him to topple over in surprise. He fell flat on his stomach and now vulnerable to the next attack.

As he lay on the ground, he heard the footsteps of the other person walking towards him. Miroku lifted his head to look at his attacker. The man moved closer to him, his expression unreadable with the straw hat covering his eyes, "Not in the mood to fight…Miroku-san?" He said in low tones.

The houshi smiled sadly, "No, I don't want to fight you."

Miroku could feel the awkward silence between them as he watched and waited for the man to react, only to be surprised when he did not. Suddenly, a faint, rustling sound from amongst the trees alerted them to an intruder and, in the next instant, a strange crackling energy exploded, rapidly coming towards them. Miroku had only a few moments to dodge the attack before it had the chance to burn off his skin. He picked himself up, watching the dust settle from where the energy had ripped up the ground, cursing the intruder for his reckless act. His eyes then darted around, trying to find whether the other man had escaped as well, praying that he did.

It was then he noticed the light of pure, spiritual energy emanating around the man like a shield, preventing the attack from even touching him. _Wait, spiritual energy…? _He felt his heart skip a beat in disappointment. _Then…it's not Inuyasha? _He stared at his appearance. Had they been chasing the wrong person all along, his false hope the only clue? _No, it has to be him, or else Kagome-sama wouldn't have disappeared like that._

"Bonzu?!" a voice shouted at Miroku. "I would have thought that you guys would have given up trying to find this bastard and gone home already."

It was Kouga, looking more irritable than usual.

The ookami then turned to face the dark clothed man, a sneer on his face. "So, you finally allow yourself to show up, instead of hiding like the coward that you are." He spat on the ground, showing his disrespect for the man. Kouga was one to never show any respect for annoying persons, especially those who reminded him of a certain hanyou. "You know," he laughed sarcastically, "I couldn't believe that you would have been so hard to track down. I don't know how you did it, but you have proven to be one big fucking pain in the arse. For all the rumours about you being such a great and powerful houshi, you don't look like much; you just look like a frail human and, for some reason, it's pissing me off. Are you_really _that houshi who murdered hundreds for the Shikon no Tama? Because if you are, you're a pretty fucked up person. You know what I think? I think that you're just a fake, a shame. And I don't want to waste my time dealing with you, so just surrender the jewel to me, alright?"

The forest seemed to echo with a chilling laughter, causing Miroku to involuntarily shiver.

"Why would I want to give the jewel to you, Kouga-san?" He asked softly, a hidden threat in his tone.

Kouga narrowed his eyes in suspicion, not knowing how the man had known who he was. But he did not like the mocking manner of his voice.

He saw the man smile.

"What is this? Have you forgotten who I am, already? I almost find that…insulting." He placed a hand on to the handle of his katana. "Perhaps I should…remind you of who I am, Kouga-san?"

The youki flared around Kouga as he sneered at the man, his fists tightening in fury. "I don't fucking care who you are, you weak human, or whatever you are! And I'll do more than insult you…I'll kill you!!" His foot then pushed off the ground and Kouga launched himself forward to make the first move to attack the houshi.

"Wait Kouga, he's only human!!" Miroku tried to shout, yet only could watch in horror as the ookami ran towards the dark clothed man.

A bright light erupted as Kouga called forth his Goraishi, the five metal claws adorning his right hand, and brought them downwards causing the demonic energy to split the ground beneath them. The ookami waited while surveying the damage, only to have a spilt moment to raise his metal claws again when he felt a sudden force thrust against him, and he nearly winced at the ringing sound of metal as he saw the blade of a katana clash against the metal of his Goraishi. Kouga struggled to keep the weapon at bay, yet was finding it difficult, not really believing that such a weak human would have such brutal strength. A growl was emitted from under his breath while he tried to push the man off him.

The smile did not leave the man's face.

"Even after all this time, you still think about the Shikon no Tama?" He asked; his voice now lowered to a whisper.

"All the time," Kouga bit back.

"More than you would think about Kagome?"

His eyes widened in horror at the mentioning of the miko's name, and Kouga suddenly found himself finding the strength to push back the katana, throwing the man off balance. He watched in disgust as the human agilely flipped backwards a few times, and then landed neatly on the ground, seemingly unfazed by the ookami's show of strength._That bastard is good…and annoying._

"What do you mean about Kagome, where is she?" Kouga threatened, his youki flaring with rage and bloodlust, "Where the fuck is my woman?!"

"Maybe I should tell you…after you have given me your shards." He then began to chant in a monotonous tone while he drew out a slip of paper from out of his haori. The slip of paper radiated with a strange light, empowered by a spiritual spell and, when the chant was completed, he threw the ofuda, its piercing light aimed at the ookami.

Kouga's movements were swift as he blocked the spell with a swipe of his Goraishi. "You must be joking; you think I'll give you _my_shards?"

The ookami growled, his fangs showing their ferocity, and his stance ready to attack. Kouga would not allow the man to escape from his grasp any longer. Dark energy crackled from his Goraishi as Kouga prepared to attack again with all intentions to kill, while his sharp eyes tried to detect the movements that the human would be foolish enough to try. His eyes darted when he spotted that the man had moved his right foot to advance, and Kouga sprinted forward to meet the attack, confident that the fight belonged to him.

With the aid of his shards, Kouga spun around and made a sweeping back kick to his side just as the man was about to unsheathe his katana. However, the human had apparently already foreseen the move, and he swiftly jumped up then flipped over to grab the ookami's leg while using his falling momentum to deliver an axe kick to Kouga's shoulder. The ookami stumbled from the direct hit, and another kick to his face caused him to fall onto his rear.

Yet it was only by luck, or because he was a youkai, that he had the chance to recover from the blow. But he was not one to go down so easily by any pathetic human. He ran towards him again, picking up speed with each passing step, hoping to catch the man off guard. Raising a fist to summon his weapon, he fiercely punched the ground, the earth shattering beneath them. Kouga saw his chance when he saw that the man was trying to dodge away from his attack and, with his other hand he grabbed the man's ankle and slammed him face down on to the hard ground.

"Serves you right, you prick. That's where you belong, on the ground like a dog." Kouga snickered, kicking the still figure of the man in the stomach.

Miroku winced at Kouga's cruelty and he ran towards them, not able to watch the scene any longer. Lifting up his shakujou, he blocked Kouga's Goraishi before he could bring it down to strike him again. There was a colliding of energies as their weapons were struck together. He felt himself being pushed backwards by the youkai, yet he kept his footing, refusing to surrender.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, bonzu?" Kouga snapped at the houshi. "Don't tell me you're protecting him, because if you are, I won't hold back, for _anyone_. Your life doesn't matter, nor his, because in the end, I'll have the Shikon no Tama!!"

"I will not let you Kouga, you have no right! Do you even know who this man is?!" Miroku countered angrily, while preparing to summon his spiritual powers to deflect the ookami's attack if he deemed necessary. He watched as Kouga's ice blue eyes flare with sudden malice.

"I have every right," he spoke slowly, "every right to take what is rightfully mine—"

It was then Miroku felt a cold wind sweep narrowly past him. He saw Kouga's eyes widened in shock and, the houshi found his eyes falling onto what the ookami was looking at.

It was a short, sharp blade, the skin around it trickling with bright red blood.

He felt his legs become stiff with a sudden sense of fear, his breath heavy, attempting to calm his now shaken nerves from seeing that blade.

"Likewise," Miroku heard his cold voice say, "I have every right to take what rightfully belongs to me."

"You…," Kouga grimaced in pain while reaching with his hand to remove the blade that had been stabbed into his thigh.

The man quickly withdrew his tanto, causing the newly inflicted wound to spurt out with fresh blood, and then punched the houshi in the stomach, knocking him unconscious. Kouga saw his opportunity, and swiftly leapt back to avoid the man's immediate striking range. Taking a glimpse at his wound, he was relieved that it had almost healed over. Although he did spot a strange greenish liquid seeping from the wound, the ookami decided to ignore it for the time being, and he prepared to attack again, his eyes watching the human's movements.

They both readied their positions; Kouga crouched down like a predator waiting for the slightest movement of his prey, while the human laid a hand on the handle of his weapon, his knees slightly bent and ready to spring forward.

The winds had picked up, cold and unrelenting, much like the two warriors that leapt forward, their weapons glistening with power, and with only a single thought on their minds…

…A fight to the finish.

* * *

"Do you think we've waited long enough?" Kagome asked her new equine friend. "Whatever Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru are doing, it can't be _that_important, can it? Do you know what they are doing?" Her answer was only a loud, somewhat amused snort. Kagome sighed. "I can't believe that even a horse is hiding things from me…"

"Kagome, there you are!" A young voice called out to her.

The miko looked behind her, and saw Shippou running tirelessly towards her. When he had almost reached her, he outstretched his arms and jumped, giving the girl a bear-hug.

His voice shook as he spoke to her happily. "I'm glad you're okay, I was so worried…" He looked up from her shoulder after feeling something was breathing down his neck. "Where'd you get that horse from?"

The horse snorted at the kitsune, and then looked away from him, making Shippou crinkle his nose in confusion.

"What's his problem? Never mind, I'm just glad you're safe. That guy who kidnapped you, didn't hurt you in anyway?"

The miko shook her head. "No, you know he wouldn't, Shippou-chan." She saw him lower his eyes but did not press him any further. "Where are Sango-chan and Miroku-sama, they're close by?"

"Yeah, come on…"

It was not long before they reached the area that Shippou had left the others, and he began to sniff the air, trying to locate their whereabouts. His eyes widened when he smelt an odd metallic scent, and he hurriedly grabbed the miko by the wrist, running in the direction of the odor. _I smell blood… _His feet carried him faster until he heard the shouts and the ringing sounds of metal being clashed together in fury and, for some reason he feared the worst.

Kagome had heard the sounds as well, and her heart quickened in tempo, reflecting her growing fears. She hoped it was not Inuyasha fighting with one of their friends. That would spell disaster, especially if it were Sango or Miroku who found out just who they were fighting.

They finally stopped just outside the clearing, just as Sango arrived with a somber looking Kirara. The young miko could clearly see the relief on the exterminator's face; they both smiled, though only for a brief moment as their attentions were now focused on the scene before them. The spectators could only watch in quiet terror at the two men fighting against each other in a vicious battle.

One of them they knew as Kouga, who was breathing hard from exertion. Though they had never seen his eyes glow with such intensity, an almost feral excitement. An excitement Sango knew from experience, when a person or youkai enjoyed the bloody fight with the enemy of equal bearing.

They darted towards each other again, and the dark-clothed man threw something at Kouga. It sparked with spiritual energy, becoming engulfed by blue flames before exploding right in the path where the ookami was sprinting. The man then stood there, patiently waiting for Kouga to make the next move. He looked up and saw the youkai had escaped and was now aiming his claws at him. Lifting up his scabbard, he blocked his assault while trying to prevent the Kouga's Goraishi from touching him.

_He's crazy if he's fighting someone like Kouga_. The woman exterminator watched on in keen interest, especially on the man that chose to exist as a mystery. Although she knew that it was an unfair advantage for the human to fight against someone like Kouga, he seemed to be coping well against the youkai. He was skilled and, she noted that each move he made was very calculating if somewhat vicious in his approach. Was it possible that all the rumours they had heard were true? That he would kill an army just for a few shards of the jewel? She then heard Kirara meow while nudging her on the cheek and, in the next second she jumped from her shoulder and on to the battle field, standing there while she meowed continuously, with Sango desperately trying to call her back from their hiding place.

Kagome stood there, her face a ghostly white, her lips trembling as she stared blankly at the fighters, wishing that they would stop, but her voice failing to say those words. She had never seen a fight so violent; it had almost seemed so surreal if it were not for the horrible piercing sounds the weapons were making as they struck together, and the way the earth would rumble beneath them as if it was about to give way from the constant explosion of energies between youki and spiritual forces. If she could only wish it were some nightmare, then she would not have felt so foolishly numb from just observing the horrible scene unfolding before her.

She noticed something else and her eyes rose up, finding that the sky was filling up with lighter shades of blue.

The miko began to panic, her lips trembling more.

It was the first signs of daylight.

Shippou noticed, "Kagome, Kagome, what's wrong? You're so pale." But he was surprised when he was faced with her fierce blue-grey eyes.

She grabbed him by the shoulders, at last finding her voice. "Make them stop, make them stop! I don't want him to fight anymore. Please make them stop!"

For a moment, Shippou had thought that Kagome was referring to Kouga, and was about to ask why, when he saw that her eyes kept focusing on between the strange man and the rapidly rising sun. Shippou looked at her again, a growing pang of disbelief in his eyes. _It's not…_

Suddenly, there was a shout of pain, causing Kagome and Shippou to look in the direction where the shout was heard.

Kouga was on the ground, struggling to stand up, yet something was stopping him from doing so for his mind had become a dizzy spin. And one thought passed his mind… _poison…!?_ The human walked up to the ookami, smiled, a dagger in his hand, gleaming. Kouga stared hard at the man and at the blade, before realising what his intentions were and he tried to kick the blade away, in vain. His vision started to blur as the knife was pressed into his skin in the exact place where his shards were. _No… _

He slipped into unconsciousness.

The man stood over Kouga, a wave of relief washing over him, glad that the fight was over. He held the shards in his hand, still tainted with the ookami's blood, and he frowned. Looking up, he noticed that the sky was quickly filling with sunlight, the rays almost making its way towards him. He blinked, realising where he was. He was about to prepare and leave the area, when a woman's shout made him stop.

"Wait, where do you think you're going?" Sango shouted and the man turned to face her. "Where is houshi-sama, what have you done to him?!"

His mouth upturned into a smirk, just as the sky filled with daylight, casting eerie shadows across his hidden face. The exterminator gripped her Hiraikotsu in readiness to attack, not liking his mocking behaviour. He raised a hand, pointing to something. Sango turned and gasped in astonishment, finding her legs hurriedly running to the houshi who was beginning to rouse.

Kagome made a glance towards the man, his hair, she noticed was now a silvery white colour: the sign that the night of the new moon had ended. However she frowned, upset that the hanyou had risked his life as a human while trying to confiscate Kouga's shards. Inuyasha had seen her face and simply shook his head, warning her not to say anything.

Shippou had also seen the change in the colour of his hair, but could not say anything since a strong hand had swiftly covered his mouth. The kitsune recognised the horrid scent belonging to Sango's younger brother, and he started twisting his body attempting to rid himself from the boy, yet Kohaku had an unexpectedly tough grip around him.

Kagome took a pace, heading to where Inuyasha stood, but was stopped by Sango's voice.

"Why?"

The miko did not reply, instead, shook her head sadly. Then she heard footsteps, though they seemed to be fading away. She glanced behind her, opening her mouth to speak, only to find that the hanyou had started to run away from the scene.

Sango had already caught on and began sprinting as well, determined not to let him escape from their grasp. Reaching from under her shoulder amour, she took out a small ball, measured the distance to aim, and hurled the sphere at him. The ball burst as it hit the ground, creating a foul smelling smokescreen.

There was a loud, choked coughing sound, and Sango knew it had hit its mark. She withdrew her ninja-to and proceeded to pace towards him. The smoke had already cleared, revealing the man clearly knocked out by the stink bomb. She edged closer, observing that he now had white locks instead of black. _Had his hair been white all along?_ Surely it was some trick to fool her, yet there was something unnerving about his hair colour.

The blade drew closer to his neck, then to the straw hat covering his face. _Today…after many moons hunting you, today we will find out just who you are… _

The blade touched the hat…

"No! Leave him alone!!" An arrow swiftly knocked the weapon from out of Sango's hand, and she stumbled back from shock, seeing that it was Kagome who had fired the arrow.

Kagome ran to the still unconscious man, spreading her arms out to stop anyone else who dared to attack him. She stood still, shaking in disbelief yet thankful that the premonition she had a few days ago had not come true, and relieved that Sango was not the type to immediately strike at a downed person. But still, seeing that blade so close to him, made her stomach turn painfully.

A lone tear escaped from her eye, even though Kagome had tried to stop it.

"Please…no more. Don't hurt him anymore…you've done too much already." And then crouching down, she gently lifted Inuyasha's straw hat so that all could see.

Everyone gathered around Kagome to look at the man who lay still on the ground. They saw his snow white hair in a mess from the fight with Kouga, his face marked with a few cuts which were quickly healing, his ripped haori and hakama and, the most noticeable feature they all recognised was his canine-shaped ears.

And they all knew on that day, the one person who had eluded them for many seasons, the one who had the Shikon no Tama in his possession , was the same person who they had banished from their lives all those years ago.

It was Inuyasha.

* * *

Until next time... 


	52. Chapter 52

The characters of Inuyasha (manga and anime) belong to Takahashi-san

* * *

The Journey Home – Chapter Fifty Two

Sango glanced behind her, her eyes falling on the young miko who was still rapidly fanning the hanyou's face. Her brow frowned with worry. "I'm sure the powder wasn't _that _strong, yet he's still out cold."

"The bastard's probably just sleeping it off. His nose must be very sensitive to the fumes of that stink bomb." Koga said groggily, still feeling the effects of the poison in his system. "That sneak, I can't believe he went that low as to poison me, just so he could have the advantage."

"Well…," Kohaku replied, "you may think of him as low, but, he's got your shards _and, _he whipped your hind pretty good, eh, Kouga? I think you should be more relieved he didn't kill you."

Kouga snarled, his clawed hands digging into the grass, knowing that what the brat had said was undeniably the truth. Even so, the kid was, if not more irritating than the half-breed. "I don't know what your problem is, but will you please stop picking on me? Fuck, you're more annoying than him. Was inukkoro the one who made you like this? Of all the people you could look up to, why him?"

"So what? Because of him, my life has never been better."

All eyes stared at the boy exterminator in quiet surprise. Kohaku quickly shut his mouth, while his face turned a bright red from having, yet again, said too much than he had intended.

The ookami smiled smugly. "At least that solves one mystery. Let's wake him so that we can make him talk." But as he was about to shakily stand up; he was stopped by Sango's voice.

"Stop where you are. Can't you see we need to leave them alone for a while?" Her eyes lowered to the ground. "We…have already caused them too much trouble with our meddling."

There was a brief silence before the slayer looked to her brother, the expression on her face full of questions. If they were ever going to discover any answers, she figured that asking her brother would be the best possible solution, for the time being.

It took a while before Kohaku could compose himself from his embarrassment. He then began to speak in a timid voice, a voice which reminded the older slayer of their more, carefree days.

* * *

"Kikyou-sama, are you all right?" Kohaku asked worriedly, watching the miko as she sat on a large rock, her face pale and sweating from pain.

She smiled, "Yes, it will go away soon. Do not worry about me, Kohaku." And then pulling out two shikigami from out of her kimono, she handed them to the boy. "You must listen to me, Kohaku. Take Kocho and Asuka with you. If it is necessary, use them to find Inuyasha. And when you do, stay with him and assist him in any way you can."

Kohaku was about to raise his voice in protest, but he closed his mouth when the miko silenced him by raising her hand.

"I cannot protect you any longer. Naraku is still on the loose and he will take the advantage because of my weakness. I will not put you in danger. Please help Inuyasha, help him, where I could not." And with one last severe command, she shouted. "Leave, now!"

The boy ran without ever looking back to the miko, afraid that if he did, he would never find it in his heart to abandon her to the mercy of the dark hanyou. Tears filled his eyes but he wiped them away with his sleeve. He would not cry now. Kikyou was relying on him to find the other hanyou. Though he hardly knew what the hanyou was like, much less what he should expect when he would meet with Inuyasha. Kikyou rarely mentioned anything about him. The only one thing he knew was that he travelled with his sister and Kirara, along with the other members of the group, including a houshi, a kitsune and, a strangely dressed girl. Even so, his spirits were lifted by the thought of seeing his older sister again and, perhaps if she permitted it; allow him to travel as part of their group.

The journey took several days before he reached the village where Kikyou had once told him where he could find them. He was directed by the farmers, who were attending their fields, to speak with their miko, Kaede. She greeted him cheerfully enough, yet there was something about the way she looked at him that told him he was not going to hear any good news about the travelling group.

"I am sorry, my child, they are not here."

"But…they will return?"

"I fear that they will never return." Kaede sighed while shaking her head. "They have disbanded. All because of a terrible misunderstanding," and she began retelling him the story from what she had heard from Sango and the others.

Kohaku felt his heart fall as the old miko told the story; he could not believe that such an event had happened. It was impossible.

"There was such anger stirred within them, and I, could not do anything to pacify that anger. It was already too late, their damage was done, and I have not seen him since. As for your sister, she and the others headed back to the youkai-taijiya village."

"Did…" He tried to say, yet found his mouth had become dry, "would he really do that? Did my sister and the others see him blocking the well?"

"They said they saw him. But I am not even sure. I am sorry, but I am too old and too tired to help you any further."

The next day, the boy slayer left the old miko's village with no hint or direction that would allow him to find the hanyou. He shook his head in disbelief. He still could not believe that the whole group had separated. It was not possible, unless something had happened to make them react in such a way to accuse one of their own companions.

Kohaku decided to begin his search by asking around for the whereabouts of the hanyou. All his answers were frightened stares and the shaking of heads. Even detailed descriptions of him proved to nothing. Many days were filled with events such as these and, by the nineteenth day, his frustration was beginning to play on his nerves. Surely the hanyou's visible red clothing would be spotted by at least anyone and everyone. It was as if he just…vanished. He had even tried using the shikigami to search for him, but it all turned out nothing. More days past by before the boy wondered if it were a better idea for him to turn back and stay with Kikyou instead, or even better still, his sister, Sango.

That was until he heard a faint humming sound coming from somewhere behind him. Turning his head, he looked and found a little girl skipping along the dirt road, her face not going unrecognised by him. He called out to her and her face looked back at him. She smiled, and ran to greet him.

The boy felt a tiny smile start to form on his face. "I'm fine Rin. I was just trying to search for Inuyasha-sama. I don't suppose you…" He stopped before he could continue, realising that if Rin was here, then Sesshoumaru would be close by as well. This meant that the task of finding Inuyasha had become a lot easier.

"Sesshoumaru-sama, Sesshoumaru-sama, Rin has brought Kohaku. He's looking for your brother."

The tai-youkai turned to him, his face as cold and as graceful as Kohaku remembered him to be. He shivered.

"Really?" he asked, showing indifference to the boy slayer. "And may I be bothered to ask why you are interested in finding my bastard half-breed of a brother?"

"But you must, aren't you worried about him?" Kohaku exclaimed. "I tried to look for him everywhere. No one has seen him. I would have thought that since he wears that red haori and hakama, I would have spotted him easily, or somebody would have seen him.

"Sesshoumaru-sama, please help me. I need to help him fight Naraku. I'm sure you would be able to find him, you're his own brother…"

Sesshoumaru silenced him before he could continue. "That may be so, Kohaku. However, even if I did want to find him, it would be nearly impossible, for I cannot even find his scent, anywhere. He may as well be dead." He turned away from him and began to walk away, yet something must have made him stop in his tracks, and he addressed the slayer again. "Perhaps that shard in your neck would make a lure for him to come out of hiding, especially if you are with me."

And sure enough – a few days later, after the passing of the full moon – Kohaku found the person who he was looking for.

He sat against a huge, old maple tree, his eyes closed from his surroundings. To Kohaku, his figure reminded him of a lone samurai that had fought in countless grueling battles, yet still maintained the air of grace with power. Though, Kohaku didn't dare move any closer to Inuyasha and his legs apparently agreed with him, choosing to stay still and allow the tai-youkai to walk forward instead. To the boy's surprise, Sesshoumaru smiled cruelly, raised his fist and swiftly brought it down to the hanyou's face. Immediately, Inuyasha caught his incoming attack, digging his claws into his brother's skin.

Everything seemed to freeze around him as he watched in trepidation at the two warriors in deadlock. It was strange seeing the two brothers so close together, and Kohaku could now see how similar their faces could look if one would ever examine properly.

Inuyasha spoke in a quiet voice, "Have you come all this way to kill me, Sesshoumaru-san?"

If the tai-youkai did flinch from the quiet formality of Inuyasha's speech, Kohaku did not see it. But somehow, he felt it.

"No, I am not imprudent." He then pointed to the slayer. "He wishes to speak with you."

Inuyasha turned to Kohaku, his cat-like eyes making the boy shiver. "Kikyou-san sent you to me?" He said before the slayer could open his mouth. "Let us leave."

After days spending time following the hanyou, Kohaku admitted that it was difficult to keep up with him. He supposed it had something to do with his youkai blood, but whenever he felt that he was catching up to him, Inuyasha only seemed to do things at even a faster pace, and never looked back to see if he was too far behind to follow. Kohaku never dared to complain. Reason being, that Inuyasha looked like someone who did not like it when people whined, which was fair enough, but still…

One day, his body had enough, refusing to move any further.

"I'm sorry Inuyasha-sama. I'm too tired to move any further. You can go ahead; I'll catch up with you." And Inuyasha left without another word.

By the evening, the hanyou had returned carrying a small cloth bag, the smell coming from it making Kohaku's mouth water. The bag was laid in front of him and the boy opened it, and he found it was filled with onigiri wrapped in bamboo leaves. He stammered, shocked at seeing someone give him so much food, "F-for me?" Inuyasha nodded, and slowly, Kohaku picked one up and started munching on the warm rice, the warmth welcoming to his tired body. He then offered one to the hanyou, to which he obliged. And when he saw that Inuyasha had finished, he offered another one.

"No, you eat it. I am not hungry."

"But…I can't eat all of it. And you bought so many." Kohaku was not sure how much the hanyou usually ate, but he was sure that he would eat more than one, especially when he noticed that he hadn't eaten much during the time they were walking. Reluctantly, Inuyasha accepted the other half of the meal and they ate in silence.

Afterwards, Kohaku still had some trouble trying to catch up with the hanyou, but at least he had slowed down considerably after that event.

During the many moons that had passed by they had unexpectedly become good friends, or perhaps there wasn't that uncomfortable atmosphere between them now than when Kohaku had begun to travel with him. Trying for conversation was difficult, as Inuyasha hardly talked if said anything for days, yet Kohaku never seemed to find it a problem. People had their secrets, even himself. At least he didn't have the feeling of being unwanted around him. In him, the boy had found something of a brother and, for the first time in his life, that notion made him very happy. He was beginning to feel like he was a normal person again.

The only thing that bothered him was the hint of sadness in his eyes –though he had masked it well – from what Kohaku had guessed had something to do with his friends. Was it true what Kaede had said that happened between him and his companions? Was their anger so strong that it caused their group to fall apart? He still could not believe it. So, bringing up his courage, he asked him. But the look on Inuyasha's face haunted his very soul, and Kohaku never brought up the topic again.

* * *

"We went around the country, trying to hunt down any signs of Naraku. Then one day, Inuyasha-san told me to go and find his brother. I didn't know why at first, I thought it was just another errand. But when I was looking out on a cliff, I saw part of the sky become suddenly dark, and every now and then flashes of blue light would appear. I knew then, that he was in a fight, and I was sent away because of it. I knew he had found Naraku. I tried to get back to him, but Sesshoumaru-sama kept stopping me, telling me that I would've died if I went.

"About seven days later, I was allowed to go where he was. But by the time I got there, Inuyasha-san had already killed Naraku; his shouki was the only thing left of him. I was so angry at him. He didn't let me fight alongside him. And whenever I complained to him about it, he just smiled. So, I didn't talk to him for a few days because of that. But what could I really do? When he goes to a fight, he becomes a very single-minded person. No one can stop him.

Well, after that, we started collecting the pieces of the Shikon no Tama, which Naraku had shattered again. Inuyasha-san said that we had to collect them quickly, as youkai and humans would surely search for the jewel once they heard the rumours that it still existed. And the rumours did spread – like fire. So by his decision, we started spreading our own stories about a person – whether they were a houshi, youkai, a commoner, a nobleman, anyone – who travelled through the countryside and murdering anyone who had any shards of the jewel. The stories worked well; people either were too scared and never bothered with us or, for the more stubborn ones…sometimes rumours would become the truth." He smiled at the hanyou who had already awoken, but was holding his head as if he had a terrible case of the hangover. "We nearly have the whole jewel, don't we Inuyasha-san?"

Everyone looked at the man, his face looking a little sick, while Kagome did her best to support him from falling. He nodded once to indicate that this was true.

"So…Naraku is really dead, and you have stayed with…," Sango found that she could not say his name, but Kohaku already knew who she was referring to, and so he nodded.

"I see…," she lapsed into silence.

"But," Shippou finally finding what he wanted to say, "I can't believe it. I mean…all of us couldn't defeat Naraku, yet from what you said, he went by himself to kill the dark hanyou. How? There has to be more to that than what you've told us. I bet someone was with him, was she…?" Shippou abruptly shut his mouth. He knew he wanted to say Kikyou, but one glare from the boy slayer made him think twice about his words.

Kohaku did not waste the opportunity of opening his mouth before his conscience could stop him. "What, do you think he couldn't kill Naraku off by himself? What are you implying?" Kohaku smirked as he saw the kitsune's eyes change from confusion to anger. "You or Kouga could have done a better job? Don't make me laugh; you're the ones who abandoned him." And he continued on, despite the repeated efforts by Sango, to stop him. "I remember Kaede-sama telling me that you thought Kikyou-sama plotted this whole thing with him to get rid of Kagome-sama. It was you, wasn't it?" He glared at Shippou. "I never knew you were so disrespectful to the dead. Or were you hoping with him out of the way, you would have a chance with her, _Shippou_?"

"Kohaku, please…" Sango implored him, laying a hand on his shoulder. "Don't be like this."

Her brother angrily jumped away from her. "Ane-ue, tell me, you think Kagome-sama is like your sister?"

In surprise from her brother's sudden outburst, she nodded, slowly.

"You would get upset when Inuyasha-san goes to see Kikyou-sama, am I right?" Kohaku could sense the uneasiness in his sister's eyes. "Do you tell her that she should just forget about him because he can't forget about his past, because Kikyou-sama is already dead?" Then, he said something that stung at Sango's heart:

"I hate you."

He had said it so quietly, that the woman exterminator thought she was hearing things, yet she knew with a heavy heart, he had said it. Tears began to fill her eyes, not wanting her own brother to hate her. This was not how she wanted their reunion to be: hatred between herself and her only brother.

Kohaku looked away from her, the sight of her tears hurting him more than the words he had said to her. Anger rose within him as he suddenly swung around, punching Shippou straight in his mouth. The kitsune fell back in shock.

"Hey! What did you do that for?!" He shouted, jumping up and snarling.

"I just felt like you deserved it!!" Kohaku countered, readying his fists in anticipation.

"You…," growling, Shippou launched himself onto the boy slayer, the voices from the adults of the group drowned out by his anger. They fell in a heap, punches and scratches flying everywhere, each refusing to back down or give up their brawl. They both did not notice the two pairs of arms lifting them up and trying to pull them apart. It was a while before they recognised the voices of Inuyasha and Sango ordering them to stop.

"Kohaku-kun," Inuyasha called to the boy who was being held by his sister, "Stop it."

"But—"

"Now," he almost snarled. In an instant, Kohaku calmed down, and the hanyou continued, "That is not the way to speak to your sister." The boy nodded, and he straightened himself up and apologised.

Inuyasha then, to everyone's amazement, bowed to Sango. "I apologise for Kohaku-kun's behaviour. Please forgive him, Sango-san."

Likewise, Sango found herself bowing in acknowledgment, yet she was glad, because she had the chance to hide her astonishment from him. Never in her life had she been addressed so formally, and by someone who she least expected it from. The hanyou was actually apologising on her brother's behalf. Except the way he had said it, without any change of his tone or emotion, troubled her. She wasn't sure what to make of this development, so all she could do was comply.

Meanwhile Shippou had sat down again, feeling a little misplaced. When he had been in the brief fight with Kohaku, he felt strong arms locking around his shoulders and pulling him away from the boy. In his surprise he had looked up and found that Inuyasha was holding him back, while scolding the boy slayer for his behaviour. Shippou should have been happy that he had won this round, but the more he thought about it, the more he began to feel that this was not so. Inuyasha had completely ignored him, not even saying a word of reprimand, nothing. Shippou would have expected Inuyasha to hit him on the head, yet the hanyou only brushed the dirt and debris away from his auburn pelt, saying in a timidly polite manner: "Are you all right?" and then, nothing more. This was something he had not expected. He didn't know what the feeling was, but it had hurt.

Kagome sat next to Inuyasha, watching him in worry. His form was slumped over and his face, even though it had a vacant expression, looked weary. Or perhaps he was still under the effects of Sango's smoke bomb. Placing a hand over his, she asked if he was all right. He looked at her, then at her hand that was over his, but said nothing.

"Inuyasha…?" She asked again, worried when he did not answer her. Her fingers brushed against the fringe of his hair causing him to flinch away from her. Amber eyes looked straight back at her…

…with fear.

Slowly he stood letting go of her hand, and he looked at her, though to Kagome it seemed as if he was ashamed to be in her presence. The miko heard him murmuring, and she only had a second to catch it: "I'm sorry. I can't stay… Not here…," and then he was gone.

Kagome got up at once to follow him, but was stopped by Miroku.

"Make sure he's all right…" He tried to smile. He couldn't.

Likewise, Kagome felt the same way as she rushed to find where her hanyou had run off to, all the while praying that he had not used his demonic speed to vanish from them, from her…

"Houshi-sama…?" Sango looked at Miroku, her heart beating painfully against her chest from seeing the hanyou hurriedly run away from them.

The houshi used his arm to wrap around the slayer's shoulder, giving it a squeeze to reassure her. "It certainly has been a long time since we've seen him." He felt her nod against his shoulder.

Miroku sighed. _He really is afraid of us…_

* * *

Kagome stopped running to catch her breath. Eyes scanned in all directions, but nothing that looked anything like her hanyou came into her vision. His name was called out repeatedly, almost desperately…

Nothing…

_Has he really gone? _The miko shook her head, not wanting to think of that possibility. She would not cry, not now. In her heart she knew she had to be strong for him. Somehow she knew that he would not have run far, but with his youkai speed, it might as well have been too far for her. Kagome continued on through the thick forest, her feet subconsciously leading her in the direction she hoped was the right one.

At last she found him, and a sigh of relief escaped her breath. Inuyasha was standing over the riverbank, his head bent over and his eyes hidden from her view. Kagome smiled uneasily as she neared him.

"Thank goodness I found you, Inuyasha." She whispered.

He did not answer her, but that was not what made the miko's heart ache.

He was crying.

* * *

Until next time... 


	53. Chapter 53

The characters of Inuyasha (manga and anime) belong to Takahashi-san

* * *

The Journey Home – Chapter Fifty Three

Inuyasha didn't know why he had run away from them, he just had to, and now he was here. At least he was alone now, where no one could see the tears drowning his eyes, causing them to overflow down his face. Long ago, he would have been ashamed to cry, he would not dare to give anyone such a pleasure to see him breakdown in some kind of mad fit of sadness. Today he was proven wrong. It was only a small mercy that he had not cried in front of them.

Alone…

Somehow, some small part of his mind had told him that he would eventually meet with them again. Ironically, it was the same way they had banished him, fighting him as if he were the enemy. He supposed he was now just that, the enemy, the one who had the Shikon no Tama. Of course they would be searching for the shards as well, just as they done before when he was part of their group. If they had been following the stories that he spread around, it was in all probability that one day they would be fighting against him. Their meeting was inevitable.

_It's been a long time since I've seen them…_

He saw their faces, a little older, yet still the same people he remembered. The kitsune had grown too; he was as tall as Kohaku. They were all sitting around the campfire, happy, laughing, just like they had always done, long ago, just the same. It was only when Kagome's voice had woke him up, he realised he was not dreaming anymore. They were still there, but Inuyasha felt that he was in the wrong place. He did not belong here, they wouldn't have allowed him. It was obvious that they still hated him.

He was their enemy.

And that stung him.

Inuyasha did not notice the small handkerchief being dabbed over his eyes. Nor did he notice his arms enfolding around a woman's small frame while bringing her closer towards him. Head bent over her shoulder, he nuzzled the skin on her neck to breathe in her soft perfume. Clawed hands clenched and unclenched against the woman's blouse in attempts to hold her as closely, yet as gently as possible. Kagome's scent surrounded him, soft, fragrant, and soothing. It touched somewhere deep inside of him, calling him, calming him. Soon he calmed down somewhat, with only a few tears managing to escape from his eyes.

The miko smiled. "Feeling better?"

"What are you doing here?" He said, his voice becoming shaky.

"What do you mean by that? I came here looking for you."

"But you shouldn't be here. You should be over there, with your friends. Not with me. They want you over there. They have always liked you. Everybody likes you. Kind, considerate, loving, beautiful, and all those **fucking** niceties they spout out at you. Everybody likes you!" He stared fiercely at the miko, his eyes suddenly aflame with intensity. However he turned away from her, and sighed, his voice becoming small once more. "I'm just a nuisance to you, like before. Just…just leave me alone…"

"No."

The miko's stern voice made Inuyasha stop and look at her in a mixture of confusion, and amazement. He then felt her hand wrapping around his, and then pulling him towards her in a hug.

"No." She repeated, this time gently, while she used her fingers to comb through his hair. "You know I won't leave you."

With her kind words, her scent, her soft caresses, it was simply too much for him to handle, and he began to feel that sensation of hot tears brimming in his eyes once more. He tried to stop them, he really did. Nevertheless they continued to trickle down his face as his body continued to shake uncontrollably in her warm embrace. He didn't want to cry; he didn't want to show Kagome how scared he was when he saw their faces staring back at him. After all those years of not seeing them, using every possible means of avoiding them, only to see them again…

He never would have imagined a day like this. He thought that he only had to collect the shards of the jewel for Midoriko, and after that was accomplished, no one would ever hear of him ever again. That was until Kagome came. It was only a matter of time before he had to see them too. But he never realised how it had hurt so much being in their presence, hearing them talk, their reactions towards him. It hurt too much to be angry at them, too much. He didn't know what to do. They were his friends…perhaps even...

Yes, he had thought that. His friends, companions who fought by his side, who were there for him and he for them.

How foolish he was to believe in such a thing. He should have known that such a notion could not exist for someone like him – a hanyou. Yet his human heart told him to believe. It still did, even now, as his tears fell down.

He believed in them…

And this was the result?

How was he supposed to react when he saw them?

Should he have felt anger?

…Sadness?

…Despair?

What was the point of feeling emotion when it all felt the same to him?

Nothing…

He felt nothing…

So the best he could do was to run, like he had when they told him to leave and never return. Only then when he was far away from them, he allowed the tears to flow down – in utter frustration. Where was his anger, his sadness, his despair? The bitter winds that blew from _that_ day – the day when he stopped trying to run to the well – answered him in sorrow:

_The day you lost everything…even Kagome. _

Now all he felt was numbness.

He never even realised he was crying until Kagome held him in her arms. She had simply held him, without saying anymore words. He didn't need any; Inuyasha just knew that she was there for him, in body and in her gentle soul. By this simple gesture, he felt that she knew what he was saying, and what he was trying to say. And that was what comforted him, Kagome, his Kagome, was here with him.

Finally the tears stopped, and the hanyou lifted his head to allow the cold air to sweep across his tear-stained face. He opened his eyes and found Kagome smiling warmly at him.

Inuyasha looked away.

"I'm sorry, Kagome."

"What for?"

He touched Kagome's now damp top. "I made your favourite shirt-thing all wet."

"Inuyasha," she replied, finding the comment would have been too adorable if it were not for the fact that her hanyou was in a despondent mood." I can't believe you said that, after you cried so much. Besides, how did you know this one was my favourite?"

"I don't know…I just thought it was." He sniffed and Kagome gave him her handkerchief so that he could wipe his nose. "It must be embarrassing for you to see me like this."

"It's not embarrassing. You said yourself that it's all right to cry, remember?" Kagome then kissed him tenderly, once on his forehead, and then twice, both lingering, on his cheek. "Sometimes it's good to cry, isn't it?

Inuyasha simply nodded, though the miko was not exactly sure if he was actually listening or not, but she allowed herself to simply hold him in her arms to provide what little comfort she could offer for him. And they both fell into silence, not knowing what else to say to each other, only choosing to let the wild grasses blow noisily underneath them without the disturbances of their voices.

* * *

The miko walked determinedly through the long grass, back towards the campsite, without Inuyasha.

"_Are you sure you will be all right?"_

_After a long silence, he replied. "Yes."_

Kagome frowned. She had been reluctant to leave the hanyou by himself, and was still undecided about whether to go back for him or not. She never had seen him like that before; it almost brought her to the verge of tears, even now. His expression, his eyes, the way his voice shook slightly, clearly told her what he was feeling. _Who wouldn't have been?_ Kagome mused as her footsteps slowed to a halt. They had chased him away, by the use of their weapons and cruel words, according to what Kohaku and Kaede had alluded to. Perhaps somewhere in his mind, seeing them again triggered those bad memories, and as a consequence, his base instincts had told him to run in fear that they may attack him once again.

This was what Naraku had planned all along. To play out their innermost fears, so those ties which bounded them together were severed by his spidery hands. His manipulation had changed everyone. When Sango, Miroku and Shippou realised that it was indeed the hanyou they had been chasing, their reactions were a shaky mix between self uncertainties, shock, and almost, regret. She didn't know what they were thinking now. Also, Inuyasha used to be to her, a very passionate person, in fighting, and more often than not arguing. The Inuyasha now, was very different. It was this difference that scared her.

Mistrust, hatred, these were the things the dark hanyou liked to do. 'A real joker', as Inuyasha once described him. He was probably laughing from hell right now.

Naraku…

Even now his manipulation had dug wounds so deep, Kagome was unsure if they would ever heal. All she could do was to try.

Muffled sounds from the campsite echoed clearly into her ears now as she paused just out of sight from her friends. Miroku and Sango were both attending to Shippou and Kohaku's wounds that were inflicted upon each other previously. Kouga was busily pacing up and down while drinking from a bamboo water container every now and then. The ookami stopped suddenly, and looked directly to where Kagome was hiding. A broad smile lit his whole face, and his eyes shimmered with ever-changing shades of blue, making the miko feel it would have been better to stay with the hanyou after all.

"Kagome, you're back already." He stalked towards her, broad arms outstretched, his face still smiling. "I see inukkoro isn't with you. You could almost think the mutt was scared of us, coward."

Kagome simply stared at Kouga for what seemed like a very long time, in eerie silence. But then, she opened her mouth, and said in a low, pleasantly angry voice:

"**SIT DOWN!!"**

Kouga sat down immediately.

"I will pretend that I didn't hear that remark." The miko said to a stunned ookami, while still smiling pleasantly, "You are obviously still under the effects of the poison. And so, I will forgive you." She then turned to face her friends with her eyes cast down, her voice now, hardly a whisper.

"I hope you're happy."

The quiet remark caused them to look at her, and the atmosphere around them seemed to fall silent, making Kagome's voice louder than usual.

"You and everyone else told me you chased him away. I never thought it would be like that, I never thought it would be that bad. I wanted to be ignorant. I had always hoped it would be just one of those problems that got solved on its own." Her hands started to shake as did her voice. "I don't know what made you attack him the way you did, or why, and I don't really care. But because of your little stunt, you forced him out there, alone, to search and kill Naraku off by himself, to track down the jewel shards by himself. Wandering around the countryside, not caring whether he lived or died the next day. Being constantly hunted down by youkai or humans who wanted the jewel, and constantly having to fight back. He truly had no one to depend on.

"We were his friends. He may not show it or say it, but he trusted us. Is this what he gets for trusting you guys? Didn't you trust him as well? Or was it because he is a hanyou and not worth your time?"

"It's not that…" Sango quietly replied.

"Then tell me what it is." Kagome interrupted with restrained fierceness. "Because he's sitting there thinking just that. He thinks you hate him. He's _scared_ of you. He really thought that you were going to attack him again, that's why he ran away. Inuyasha even told me to leave because he thought you would say something bad about it. Do you realise that he spent all those years hiding from you? Do you know why all this talk about a person with the Shikon no Tama was never actually seen in person. He knew that you would eventually follow those rumours. That's why he took extra care to keep himself hidden, from you and everybody else. He's doing what he hates the most: running. Running away from the people he cared about.

"Is this what you wanted? Are you happy now?" Tears began to fill up in her eyes, but Kagome refused to let them go. "You hurt him, and if I were a lesser person, I would say that I hope he never for—"

"Kagome…"

Kagome jumped when she heard Inuyasha's soft voice stop her from finishing with what she wanted to say. She had been so busy talking with their companions; she had not noticed that the hanyou was only a few metres away from her. Though whether how much or how little he had heard of their conversation remained a mystery, even until this day.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

The rest of their conversation did not go louder than a whisper, leaving the others to ponder what they were actually saying. A few times the miko would point towards them, her face changing from anger to concern, her hands grabbing on to his shoulders as if she was pleading to him. And Inuyasha only nodded his head a few times, yet it looked as though he was trying to avoid her gaze.

Miroku looked at Sango and saw in her eyes what he was feeling: guilt and regret. While Shippou just looked at them, his face unreadable, yet Miroku knew that the kitsune was trying to listen to what they were saying.

The houshi always knew that a day like this would come: The consequence of his actions.

Those days of the past after they had finally driven the hanyou out, also held days of uncertainty, where he could not stop his thoughts from going back to _that_ day. He always remembered that malicious face, laughing, mocking. Miroku only needed that memory to bring out his anger. There were other days however, when he thought the opposite. He would often go for long walks by himself, thinking about him, his friend, and how much things had changed because of him.

He made a glance towards the miko again as she continued to talk with Inuyasha. Miroku had already known that Kagome was with the hanyou ever since he 'kidnapped' her and, it was more than likely that she had met with him first before they found her at Kaede's village. Everything made sense. Internally, Miroku laughed at himself, thinking how life had become for him, for Sango and for Shippou.

Would anyone forgive him now?

Kohaku clenched and unclenched his fists, and then stood up angrily. "I'm going," then he was gone.

"I…think, I should follow him," Sango said quietly, looking at the hanyou for a brief moment before disappearing into the woods to follow her brother.

Inuyasha sighed as he saw them leave, thinking how uneasy he made people feel when he was around. Perhaps it was better if he left now…

Kagome nudged him, and smiled, telling him that everything would be all right.

He wished he was able to think the same way.

* * *

"You have outdone yourself yet again, Kohaku-kun." The hanyou commented, with a vague tone of approval underneath the monotony of his voice. He poked at the roasted meat of the recently killed boar. It sizzled with a pleasing aroma, making everyone's stomachs, including Kouga's, rumble in obvious hunger.

Kohaku reddened in embarrassment. "S-sorry…I just had to… It's not too much, is it?"

"No, it will be enough for everyone."

However, Kouga had other things on his mind. "Are you sure that meat hasn't been tampered with?"

"Maybe," the hanyou replied, ripping off a hunk of meat and offering it to him. "Do you want to test it, to see if it is?"

Inuyasha smiled.

The ookami growled, swiping at the outstretched hand in fury. There was something really irritating about the way the hanyou was speaking to him. It wasn't loud, or rude, or even bad-tempered. It was quite the opposite. He was courteous, and displayed the aura of someone of high-bringing, which Kouga knew that it rubbed him the wrong way. He never did like conversing with overly polite people.

Now that he had taken a good look at him, Kouga concluded that he hated Inuyasha more than he ever did before, and it was not just because of his odd behaviour. That same smile he saw all those seasons ago, was back and was as mocking as ever. His amber eyes were the same as well, dark and haunting, almost as if the Inuyasha who was brash and stupid, was replaced by someone who made his ookami instincts hopelessly trying to flee from his presence. Kouga was the type to always trust his instincts, and they were telling him that he should be wary of the hanyou, especially when said hanyou was around Kagome.

When his mind was more properly focused and rational – Inuyasha would pay for attempting to poison him – the last thing he saw was the hanyou running away from them, with Kagome not too far behind. It wasn't long before he realised that they were taking too long to come back. He never cared if the hanyou actually was trying to run away from them, if it was true, then it would be a blessing to all of them. But he had not liked the fact that because he ran, he made the miko run after him and, the obvious result was that they had spent time alone. That thought irked him, and he knew why.

"Kagome, I want to speak with you." Kouga said, standing up. "Alone."

Hesitantly, she stood up, but her eyes were still on the hanyou, even as she slowly walked away from him. She couldn't help it, she was worried about him.

"He'll be fine, I'm sure the mutt would survive being alone with them for a few moments. They won't kill him."

Kouga never noticed how ironic his statement had sounded.

"Just what do you want anyway, Kouga-kun?" Kagome asked, a little irritated by how cold the ookami's personality could be. Either that or he was still miffed about his shards being taken from him. "Look, if it's about your shards, they're not yours anymore, and I can't, and I won't convince him otherwise."

"I know that, Kagome. I do have my pride. I'm not going to humiliate myself by asking some hanyou if I could have my shards back, even if he did get them unfairly, that bastard."

"You did notice he was human that night? Would you call it fair if he hadn't use that stuff to make you unconscious? Did you want to fight him when he was human, with nothing to hold against you?"

"That wasn't all," he argued, "didn't you see? He had those powers only a spiritual person would have. Everyone saw it. Don't you find that a bit strange? Normally a youkai wouldn't be able to survive with that kind of power inside. The spiritual powers would destroy the youkai in an instant. That's why youkai are separate beings from miko and houshi; their powers would either nullify each other, or destroy each other. I bet even as a hanyou, he's having a hard time keeping it at bay without having it kill him. What's going on, Kagome? It's obvious that you have discussed this with him?"

"I haven't really talked to him about it. He did mention some things, but, I think he's hiding the rest." Kagome racked her brain for anything else that had occurred during the past few days and months, and then she remembered, "Well…there was this dream."

"Yes?"

"It was strange. Midoriko was in it. Somehow she was using Inuyasha to talk to me. She said something about wanting to put the jewel back together. But this dream…it felt too real…"

Kouga rolled his eyes, "Not this Midoriko woman again. That bitch should just stay dead for all I care. She should leave the jewel to someone who is more capable, someone who is alive. It's not right for the dead, even dead spirits, to mess with the living. Anyway, I think it's best if you stayed away from him."

"What, Inuyasha? Why?"

"He's dangerous."

"You have a sick sense of humour."

"I'm serious; if what you say about this dead miko possessing that bastard is true, then it's not safe for you to be around him. Who knows what he or she is capable of? I hate to admit it, but he's not the same anymore, he's more weird than usual."

They heard Inuyasha sneeze.

"I am not leaving him." Kagome told him seriously.

Kouga frowned at her stubbornness. Yet he realised that trying to convince the miko that the hanyou was a threat to her safety, was only making her more stubborn. More than he could handle. And so, his face relaxed, a fraction, Kouga sighed.

"Alright, fine. But I am only looking out for you; I don't want you getting hurt because of him."

* * *

Fragments of their conversation floated towards his canine ears as Inuyasha stared at the portion of meat without actually eating it. He had no room for appetite, not tonight. Inuyasha could not help it if he had heard little bits of what the ookami and Kagome were saying. Even though Kouga had tried to keep his voice down, he heard the sentence ring clear:

He was a threat to Kagome.

_Do not let the ookami's words frighten you, Inuyasha. _

"I am not afraid, of anybody." Inuyasha replied darkly.

"Inuyasha?" a voice called to him.

"Houshi-sama, what's going on?" Sango asked.

"I'm not sure." Miroku tried to call his name again when Inuyasha did not respond the first time.

His worries started when Kagome had went with Kouga to have a private talk. While during this time the hanyou had sat there, hardly moving, as if he seemed internally conflicted about something, yet not even attempting to do anything about it. A long time ago, the hanyou would have marched up to the ookami straight away to try and move Kagome away from him, creating havoc for everyone and everything around them. But now, Inuyasha just sat there. Sat there, only looking at Kagome once, and then turning his head towards the fire, staring at it with a vacant expression. It was when he began to speak in a voice, the same one that chilled his blood, Miroku realised that something was very wrong. He said his name the third time, this time grabbing on to his shoulders.

The hanyou glared at him, his eyes fading into a darker shade of amber until there was no colour left, only black. His mouth moved, yet the voice that came out of him was not his own. It spoke quietly in a deep and cold tone, causing the voice to echo loudly in his ears.

"Go away, and leave me alone."

In his shock, Miroku did just that, slowly retracting his hand away from him. There was little else he could do except to stare at the person in front of him. Likewise, Inuyasha stared back at him, his eyes remaining as black and as empty, without any signs of relenting. Miroku felt his brow begin to perspire from under the intensity of his stare, and from the hanyou's mouth upturning into one of the most vicious smirks he had ever encountered. The youki surrounding Inuyasha flared violently around the group, which was then followed by spiritual light. Both powers lashed out at each other, as if they were trying to gain dominance over each other.

Miroku did not dare move in case 'this person' before him decided to make the final move. However to his relief, Inuyasha stepped back, slowly. His eyes were still focused on him and the others, but now the colour had returned to them, and the strange aura around him had vanished. He stepped back further, and the houshi found his chance to speak out to him.

He never replied, only walked away from them again until he was near the edges of the forest. And with one big leap, he disappeared amongst their branches, hidden from view.

"Kami," Sango said, after she found she was able to speak again without having her voice break. "Did you see his eyes?"

"Yes. He's a changed man."

The slayer couldn't help but to agree with him. He had changed.

He had changed, because of them.

* * *


	54. Chapter 54

Characters of Inuyasha (manga and anime) belong to Takahashi-san

* * *

The Journey Home – Chapter Fifty Four

Kohaku could almost feel his heart clench as he watched in solemnity, the resting place where his father and companions lay in death. His hands shook when he began to remember those days when the empty village he now stood in, used to be the village filled with the proud youkai-taijiya, men and women alike. The village used to be bustling with constant activity, where people were either practicing their fighting skills, or having village dinners filled with dance, food and stories for the young children. It was quiet now, no merry laughing, or the clashing of weapons, just an eerie silence, and nothing more.

His eyes fell back to the burial site.

_Chichi- ue…_

He also remembered the day when he killed his own father, and the rest of the extermination group. That nightmare had plagued him, it still did, sometimes. Over and over again he would see them, their eyes wide in shock, and the weapon in his hand, the cause. How his father must have hated him when he saw his own son felling him with his kusari-gama.

Kohaku bit his lip in attempt to stop the tears that threatened to fall.

"Do you still think your father hates you?"

The boy slayer spun around in surprise, but then relaxed when he found it was Inuyasha who spoke to him.

"Don't scare me like that."

"Why are you so jumpy today, Kohaku-kun? It's not like you."

The boy sighed. "It's hard…seeing chichi-ue like this…our whole youkai-taijiya village…all gone. All dead, because some hanyou wanted some stupid jewel…no offence to you, of course. Well, you know what I mean."

Inuyasha nodded.

"It's just," Kohaku continued. "I want to ask you something. Naraku killed so many people just for one little thing. Why? Why was power so important to him, that he had the whole village killed, or other innocent people, for that matter?" He looked at Inuyasha for an answer, any excuse to quell the growing anger from Naraku's sick deeds. But more than anything, an excuse to comfort his shaking heart from seeing the burial site.

"He wanted power; obtaining Onigumo's heart was simply not enough. His human feelings for Kikyou-san prevented Naraku from forming into a full-blooded youkai. He wanted to be so strong, that he was willing to kill anyone who got in his way. Even though he never actually, physically killed anyone, he enjoyed manipulating them, playing with their lives, while observing them from a safe distance. In the end, his enemies ended up dead, in either body or spirit, or worse. It was his way of getting rid of competition for the Shikon no Tama. His want of power was a strong motivator. And the jewel answered his calling."

"But, _why_ did he do it?"

"We go through life wondering why. Why were we created to live a life in a certain way? And we also go through life by wanting. Yes, we need food, water, and shelter to survive, but how do humans or youkai really 'live'?

"We all want things, things we think would make our lives better, make us better people, to cast our old selves, and bring change to us. By wanting for things, we drive our purpose in life, our meaning for living.

"Why did Naraku do all these things to obtain the jewel? He _wanted_ to become stronger, it was his desire. He had found his purpose in life, he had found out why he was created, and he had the will to pursue his purpose."

"But if he just wanted power because he thought it was his purpose in life, then I'd say that's a pretty pathetic excuse."

"That may be so, yet he brought death wherever he went, as you said, your whole village was wiped out by him, for a jewel as small as an eyeball. People are…strange that way."

Kohaku looked away in anger, disliking Inuyasha's answer. "That's not fair. He was evil, immoral. Why should he be the one to have lived for another day while everyone else suffered or died? He manipulated people because he thought it was fun, it was his purpose in life? What kind of logic is that?"

"That is life. No one ever said anything about being fair, or logical."

The boy sighed, knowing that he had no chance of winning the argument. "At least there are some good people in the world, eh, Inuyasha-san?"

"You think so?" The hanyou smiled sadly, his eyes looking at the sky, unfocused, as if he was lost in his own world.

"Yeah, you're a good person."

"No, I'm not."

Kohaku opened his mouth to protest otherwise, but was unexpectedly faced by his older sister. Her expression was sad, appearing almost unwilling to speak.

Sango looked at him, but found her eyes falling away, his hurtful words still burning at her heart. She knew that he had said them more out of frustration than anger towards her, but those words still stung like a sharp blade against her skin. The fact that her brother had said them only made the feeling worse. She dared a glance towards him, and he spoke to her, with that same timid voice that immediately caught her attention.

"Ane-ue…"

And that was all that was needed for the woman slayer to run up to her younger brother, to hold him as if she were trying to recapture that lost emotion of simply being here with him as a family, finally reunited. A small trickle of tears fell down her cheeks, yet she still tried as best as she could to stop them. All the words she wanted to say to him, failed, and she could do nothing more but to hold him and tell him everything was going to be all right. Even though Sango knew otherwise…

"Ane-ue," Kohaku said, as quietly as he dared. "I don't hate you."

Sango hugged him tighter. "I hope not. But I wouldn't be angry at you if you still did," and then raising her head to look at him, she found that he was smiling at her. This time she did allow her tears to fall.

It wasn't long until both sister and brother began talking in easy conversation about everything and nothing. The years apart between them seemed to disappear in an instant, any sadness or misgivings, gone, as they chatted about the happenings in their lives. Nothing was left out, and there was no need for any topic to be hidden between them.

Sango mostly talked about Miroku and Shippou, how they had stayed with her to help rebuild the old taijiya village back to what it once was. She was happy that they had decided to stay and keep each other company, just like a family, or what was left of it.

It wasn't until sometime later that she and Miroku decided to become husband and wife, an event which still today left her thinking how she ended up marrying such a hentai of a man. Not that it mattered much anymore. He still had the odd habit of touching at the most inappropriate times, however, Sango would sometimes have the feeling that he only did so, was so that he could distract her from what he was really trying to say to her.

This had gone on for some time, which resulted with their relationship not going as far as she had hoped. And it didn't help matters, whenever the houshi decided to go on for long walks, alone, leaving her and Shippou to wait, and hope for his return.

"Really?" the boy asked in surprise. "I thought…"

Sango only shook her head sadly. "No. Every time he left…I was always afraid that he would never return…or that he found another woman." Those times when she was alone, tending the gardens, a sense of longing for the past would creep within her. Memories of that past were vividly relived, so vivid that Sango could almost touch them, hear them speak to her, hear them laugh.

Her friends, her family, but those times were gone. And that made her evermore fearful that she would lose Miroku and Shippou, without her knowing where they had gone.

Not knowing…

"But he always returned, didn't he?"

She nodded, managing a little smile, "Yeah." Again she looked at him, his face reminding her of the last time he looked so carefree. That time had been so long ago, she had almost forgotten what his smile was like. To see him like this, so happy…

It was a miracle.

"What was…he…," she struggled uncomfortably. "He…Inuyasha…like to you?"

For a brief moment, the boy displayed a look of confusion in his eyes by her question. "I don't know. You tell me. I mean…you did travel with him before."

"I know," she answered. "I just want to know. I'm so confused right now…I'm not sure how I can say it, but I feel that I don't know him as I thought I did before."

"Well…," he began, standing up to straighten his legs, "he confuses me sometimes. Sometimes he says things or does things I don't quite understand. But I guess he was always like that.

"It was very hard before, for me. There was a time when he didn't want me around. We had walked to this village, and he told me to stay with you."

Sango gasped.

The boy nodded. "He told me to stay. I asked him why, and he said there wouldn't have been much point in me going with him, called me useless and that. Again I said no, and you know what he did, ane-ue? He punched me right in the stomach, just like that. And when I came to, he was gone.

"I didn't know what to do…stay in the village or go look for him. I guess I became angry and decided to follow him just to show him that I wasn't useless.

"The first few days were difficult; I couldn't find any traces of him anywhere. But after that, I think he knew that I was following him, because he started leaving obvious signs. This went on for a long time, until I finally figured out just where he was heading to in such a hurry. Right back here," Kohaku shook his head and then started laughing as if the whole situation had been humorous to him. "He made me go in one big circle, and I never realised it. And then he asked me again to stay here at the village, but I said,

_"No."_

_Inuyasha blinked once, and then quite suddenly, ruffled the boy's hair, saying, _

_"You really are hopeless."_

Sango did not speak for a while, her surprise preventing her to say anything to her brother. But her mind whirled loudly at this discovery. On two occasions, according to Kohaku, he had been so close to her, perhaps even inside the very walls of the village, and on both occasions she had been oblivious to his visits. Furthermore, the hanyou had encouraged him to stay, yet he refused to do so.

Why?

And how many more times had they actually come to this village, every time without her knowing whether she would be able to see her dear brother again, not knowing whether he had escaped from Naraku's grasp.

"I was ashamed." Kohaku replied, his face turning red, reflecting his embarrassment. "Ever since chichi-ue…died, I was afraid of what you would say to me. I was afraid that if I looked at you, your eyes would say how much you hated me. I didn't want that."

"I don't hate you. What makes you say that I would?" Sango asked, her voice barely a whisper.

"I-it's because…," he turned away from her. "You hate him. You really do, don't you."

Sango found that she could not answer, as her body felt numb by the soft tone her brother was using. It was now apparent to her that he admired the hanyou as a mentor, even a surrogate brother. He had been there for him, while she could not even see him. Or was it because Kohaku had chosen to stay away from her because of his guilt?

His reasons for staying away would probably never be answered, Sango already knew this, yet still, there was a small pang of jealously from being unable to be the one there for him. Kohaku had already grown up with his travels with the hanyou, and under his guidance. It was no wonder his habits were so eerily familiar, so much like him, especially when his anger got the better of him.

Shutting her eyes for a brief moment, she drove those emotions away, not wanting them to overcome her better judgment. There was no need for ill feelings, not when it had already caused so much trouble. Did it matter that he had grown up with someone else, someone who she herself felt so uneasy about, only to see the boy smile as a result?

_But still…_

"It's because he still had feelings for Kikyou-san, isn't it? But she's dead. He knows that, and so do you." Kohaku continued, his voice beginning to shake from her silence. "I'm dead too…was. Are you going to say the same things to me? Are you going to say, that you would forget about me?" He watched her, the expression on her face angering him, yet at the same time; it made his heart ache, because it was obvious that Sango was hurt as well. She probably felt that he had abandoned her, breaking her hopes of ever finding him again.

"Kohaku," she finally said. "I would never hate you, not my own brother. I could never think of such a thing. I don't know if you believe me or not, but you don't know how much I worried for you, wondering whether you were still alive, still safe. Every chance I had, I went to search for you, and praying, just praying…

"I didn't want you suffering alone under Naraku's control. Just thinking of how tight his grasp was around you, your mind under his torment, I couldn't stand not knowing where you were."

"I-I'm sorry I didn't come to see you. I just—"

Sango touched his face, "Don't worry about it. You had your reasons." She then gave him a blue cloth bag, saying, "Would you…g-give this to him? I don't think I saw him eat last night. I know he was with you earlier, I saw him."

"He wasn't—"

"I know." She answered before he could finish, knowing that Kohaku was going to deny the hanyou's presence in fear that she would say something. "I just wanted to… You really look up to him…don't you?"

"He made me feel like myself again. It was like…like I didn't need to feel sad anymore, that I didn't need to feel alone…or die alone."

The woman slayer simply nodded, her mind, now elsewhere.

* * *

A sigh escaped Kagome's lips as she struggled in vain to get comfortable inside of her sleeping bag. Everyone else appeared to be asleep, their eyes closed from the darkness of the night, ignorant to the world around them, while the shadows from the flickering flames of the fire danced wildly on their faces. The young miko turned to the other side, in all hopes that it would be more comfortable for her tired body. However, try as she might, she simply could not get to sleep. Yes, her body was tired to the point of pure exhaustion, yet her mind was not. Kagome didn't know what it was that kept her mind so excitable that it refused to sleep like the rest of their companions. So carefully, she unzipped her sleeping bag, slid quietly out as to not wake anyone up – especially Kouga who decided to stay – and just as quietly, she tiptoed out of the campsite to take a night stroll.

Despite the somber aura which seemed to have settled itself amongst herself and her friends, Kagome began to hum a nonsensical tune, more to keep her spirits up more than anything else. Nonetheless, a few seconds later, she gave up to the hopelessness she was feeling, and promptly fell back onto the soft grass. Tears began to sting at her eyes causing her vision to become blurry, but the young miko hurriedly wiped them away with the sleeve of her shirt.

_I won't cry…I have to be strong…_

And yet, she had seen Inuyasha cry. The one person whom she knew that never would have liked to be seen as someone able to be reduced to tears. He didn't like appearing weak, in fact he hated it. Inuyasha always had the incredible will to hide his innermost feelings. But for him to unwillingly show them to her alone, must have broken every rule he had made for himself.

Kagome never would've guessed how she managed to hold it all in for him, even she was surprised. His tears, his aura, were almost enough for her to want to breakdown and cry with him. Was this stinging pain felt only when someone else was crying? Of the many times she had cried, was this how he had felt? Because if it was, she didn't want it to hurt anymore, it was simply too much.

Kagome did not want Inuyasha to hurt anymore.

If only she could find him again.

Since last night when he had disappeared into the tops of the trees, she could not find any trace or hints of his whereabouts. Though she knew to leave him alone, in hopes that he would appear on his own accord, perhaps even be part of the group once more.

Kagome would have waited, yet she found that she could not sit still and do so. Every place where she could think of, she looked for him, only realising much later, just how hard it was for her to look for even a tiny clue of her hanyou.

_Where are you, you baka? _

Kagome touched her shoulder at the place where the hanyou had cried. Even though she had changed the shirt, the feelings of his tears were still there, making her heart twinge in sadness. She wished he was here, with her, so that she may try to console him.

For a moment, the miko closed her eyes to shut out the beautiful starry sky, and the silhouettes of the trees which loomed over her. There she lay for a while, trying to allow sleep to take her. But she noticed soft footsteps approaching her instead, and then a hand with sharp fingernails, gently running through the fringe of her hair.

She opened her eyes from the featherlike touch, finding Inuyasha gazing at her, his eyes glowing eerily from the darkness of the night.

"You can't sleep?" He asked, his ears also twitching in question.

"No, not really," sitting up, Kagome rested her chin on her knees, "How about you? You look tired."

"I've…never been good at sleeping."

"But you've always slept soundly at my house."

Kagome smiled when Inuyasha chose not to reply, and patted the ground next to her. "Please stay, at least for a while."

After with some hesitation, he nodded, and sat down next to her. Kagome then leaned onto his shoulder, her hand on his arm.

"You're shaking, Kagome. Why?"

"I…I thought when you weren't here… I thought you had gone, and didn't want to come back."

Inuyasha wrapped his arm around her in apology. He hadn't meant to cause her to worry; he just needed time to think. At least that was what he liked to have done. However, most of his time had been spent just sitting amongst the top of the tree branches, simply staring listlessly at its green lush leaves rustling lazily from the passing breeze.

Inuyasha could not care less to think. It was just too painful to bear seeing their faces again, let alone wanting any conversation with them. And yet, somewhere in his mind did not like the idea of lying idly around while things were left unresolved. After all, there was a time when even he was a part of…

_Perhaps, if I went back…_

_What for?_

_…T-they'd probably just tell me to go away…_

_Of course…_

So he had just sat there, undecided, almost wishing that he could just disappear without anyone noticing.

He then stopped himself before going any further with that train of thought. Inuyasha knew that Kagome was still there, perhaps even worried about him. He had to go back to her.

And that was where he found himself now, as he gently nuzzled against the miko's soft, dark hair.

"What should I do now?" He asked suddenly, breaking their silence.

"I really don't know," Kagome replied, squeezing his arm. "Maybe…maybe we should wait and see what happens. It's been tough on everyone. They're probably thinking about the same things as we are."

Inuyasha did not reply straight away, only rested his chin on top of her head, and let out a sigh.

"I'm glad…you're here with me."

"Always," Kagome replied, closing her eyes as sleep began to seep in, "always…"

"Kagome…?" But all he heard was a light snoring noise drifting into his canine ears, making them twitch uncontrollably. Looking down, he found that the young woman was indeed asleep, with her head nestled on his chest, and with a small smile on her face. Unknowingly, he felt his heart flutter at the sight of her peaceful, sleeping face with the warmth of her body so close to his, as he gently lay her down onto the grass. Then lying down next to her, he simply watched her breathe evenly as she dozed on, and wondering what she was possibly dreaming about.

"Wan-chan…" He heard her giggle in her sleep, and this time, Inuyasha did roll his eyes heavenward at the way she had said those words. Of all the things she could have said, she had to say that.

"You stupid woman," and leaning closer, Inuyasha could not stop the smile growing on his face as he gazed upon the miko's features more closely. With shaking fingers, he lightly touched her cheek, over her long dark eyelashes, and then gradually down to her lips, while watching Kagome's closed eyes for any sudden movements of discomfort. Inuyasha's face moved closer still, with his lips just inches away from hers, and yet he trembled in hesitation, frightened if he was caught.

_Should I? _He thought. _Would she mind if I did…?_

Unconsciously, he licked his lips.

_Maybe…_

Suddenly, Inuyasha's eyes narrowed suspiciously, and his hand went straight to his face with a slap. He then brought his palm into view, and saw none other than the squashed remains of Myoga, his flea youkai 'servant'. His tiny body shook, then popped back into his original shape. However, before he could speak, Myoga broke into a sweat from Inuyasha's dark look.

"I-Inuyasha-sama, I am so h-happy to see you so well tonight."

"I could not say the same for you, Myoga ji-jii." Inuyasha answered, squashing the flea between his fingers in pure irritation. "Are you alone?"

The tiny youkai smiled cheekily. "I don't know if I should say yes or no to that sort of question. Especially when we saw what was about to happen between the two of you?"

_"_What do you mean, _we?"_

"Did I say 'we'?"

The hanyou did not even need to turn around to know that someone was behind him, and that if that person had been anyone else, well, Inuyasha would have been very upset.

"All right, Kai-kun. You can come out of hiding."

A red faced youkai with blue hair and light blue eyes, peered from behind the trunk of a tree. He laughed nervously, not liking the fact that the old flea was also pinning him with the crime of having witnessed the hanyou almost kissing the young miko.

"Uh…" Kai began sheepishly, "You're not…angry are you?"

"No." The hanyou replied, squashing the flea yet again. "But tell me, why are you here? Is there trouble?"

The young ookami youkai nodded quickly, "Big trouble. You know that old houshi and his group? I saw them heading in this direction. He knows you're here."

"Really now?" His face suddenly turning cold, almost vicious, "He does not like to give up, the stubborn 'old' man. Let him come. I am stubborn as well."

"What, just like that?!" Kai answered disbelievingly. "No plan or anything?"

However, the young youkai only saw the hanyou's eyes glow wickedly at some hidden joke, which then quickly disappeared as he turned away from them, and yet the quiet menace in his voice remained the same.

"Believe me, boy." He answered. "I had been waiting, planning for this moment to surface…for years. Let us just hope he has the rest of the jewel pieces for me."

* * *

Sorry for the long delay. I had been working all this time, and then coming home too tired to write about anything.

Hope you enjoy this chapter.


	55. Chapter 55

The Characters of Inuyasha (manga and anime) belong to Takahashi-san

The Journey Home – Chapter Fifty Five

* * *

The sounds of movement along the grass, was what woke Miroku from his restless sleep. With weary, tired eyes he surveyed his surroundings and found an oddly shaped figure hidden by the shadows, gradually making its way to their campsite. Hidden from view, by Kirara who had transformed to its larger self, he watched in silence at what looked like silhouettes of Inuyasha carrying the prone miko, with as much care and quietness as he could display when they were alone. They stopped beside Kagome's sleeping bag, where she was carefully placed upon the bedding, and then covered with the blanket. Inuyasha sat down next to her sleeping form, leaning his forehead against hers, whispering things that were inaudible to the houshi's ears.

_Inuyasha… I'm glad you have her back…_

He knew in all sincerity that this was true. The group had been separated by one, hostile misunderstanding, and its significance was one Miroku would not want, or be willing to discover. For years they had lived apart from each other's lives, only looking to the fragments of their future, yet turning their heads whenever they saw something, reminding them of that fateful day, when everything went so horribly wrong.

Miroku had certainly felt this.

Before he had met with any of his companions, when he was a much younger houshi, he spent much of his time as a lone spiritual soul, travelling aimlessly around the country-side, offering what he could from his teachings of his profession. And if a beautiful woman was present, something extra, of course. There was no doubt that Miroku enjoyed what he did, it was the life he knew. Certainly the threat of his kazaana widening its destructive wounds from the very palm of his hand, and the thought of the demonic hanyou still at large, smirking at his plight, could not be ignored or go unnoticed without punishment. At least he knew that he was alone in this fight, no one had to be involved, and no one would get hurt because of him. It was a burden he was glad to endure, until his premature death, or when the curse finally consumed him.

It was not until he met with everyone else, Miroku began to have a different opinion about himself and his life. In the beginning, he was wary around them, not wanting to let himself become too familiar with the group. Perhaps everyone had felt the same when they first got together, Inuyasha growing up alone in the world, Shippou who had just lost his parents, and Sango, poor Sango, who had lost her entire home and family. Kagome was the lucky one, for she had a family and a home to belong to, a sheltered life, yet that still did not stop her from having a kind heart. Inuyasha apparently had noticed it as well, with the way his face seemed to change whenever she was around, and when she was not. It was the truth that she held them all together, and it was amazing how they all did just that. The more he got to know them, their lives, worries, and who they truly were inside; he found it increasingly harder to leave them, to not become attached, because he had already become accustomed to seeing their faces every day, he had become attached to them. Why leave them?

This was what his life was now, and he enjoyed it, very much.

How quickly everything turned around, when everything shattered, when Inuyasha blocked the well, destroying it completely with that huge tree. And that smile, vicious, cruel, mocking them with utter treachery, ending the friendship he had with them. It was from that day he never stopped dreaming of the event, every movement, every word spoken, and every time his weapon struck—

Miroku shivered from the cold reminder, the remnants of his nightmare.

He then looked up from his hiding place, and found only Kagome, still asleep, without the hanyou there to look over her. It was only by chance he saw a shadow darting away until it had blended with the rest of the night background.

_He really is afraid…of us._

Miroku quickly stood up, the guilt in his heart almost too much to bear, and he prepared to leave to follow Inuyasha, and possibly a chance to talk with him. He stopped when he felt something tug on his robes.

"Houshi-sama…?" Sango asked, half-asleep.

He kneeled beside her, and kissed her warmly on her cheek. "Sango, I'll be back in the morning, I promise," and he walked away, towards the edges of the forest.

Sandaled feet walked with ease on the familiar path, the path which led from the youkai-taijiya village to the main road, a path which Miroku frequently travelled upon. Every few days he would venture out into the world, sometimes to obtain some supplies for his wife, Sango, and sometimes…sometimes he did not know why he took those long, lonely walks, without Sango and Shippou. He would walk, almost in a daze, and just looking, looking without seeing. His gaze would mostly fall onto the highest braches of the trees, and he would stand motionless, as if waiting for something to spring out and greet him. But Miroku never found what he was looking for, whatever he was searching for.

Miroku looked around the area once again, listening to the haunting sounds of the forest whispering things to his ears, and feeling the sensations of the cold air against his face.

_Where is he?_

It was then the houshi heard a strange, metallic whistling sound. He scarcely had time to blink when he felt an object fly sharply past him, just inches away from his neck. There was a thud, and then, nothing. Breathing erratically from being nearly hit or possibly missed on purpose, he slowly turned and faced the dagger, its cold gleam sending a chill down his spine. He reached for the blade, but found himself suddenly unable to as a strong hand clutched roughly at his throat, pushing him against the trunk of a tree with a thud. Stunned, he stood where he was, especially when he saw another blade coming closer towards him, the flat of the blade pressing lightly on his cheek. Miroku then looked at his attacker, and saw how his eyes glowed with cold amber, how his expression was eerily vacant.

Despite Inuyasha's hand gripping tightly around his throat, making it almost impossible for him to speak clearly, Miroku did manage to say in a choked gasp, the hanyou's name.

"Miroku?" he replied, astonished, and immediately relaxed his grip. "I'm sorry; I thought you were someone else." Hurriedly, he sheathed the small knife into its scabbard. "You should not be walking around by yourself, it could be dangerous."

"I-I…know." He replied, still feeling the sensation of his grip around his throat. "Why didn't you stay with Kagome-sama?"

Inuyasha did not answer, keeping his eyes away from him, yet keeping the handle of the katana close to his hand. Now that he knew it was Miroku who was here, speaking to him, Inuyasha began to feel the first signs of uneasiness creeping back. He did not know why he was here; let alone why he was asking such a question. Why would it matter that he left Kagome with them? She would have been safer with them. Inuyasha did not understand, he could not understand. Why would Miroku ask such a stupid question? However, the hanyou held his mouth shut, stepping back to leave.

"Wait! Can't we at least talk, please?" the houshi pleaded. "Like before, as…friends?"

Even though Miroku was unable to properly see his face, somehow he could tell that Inuyasha was taken aback by his request. The last thing he wanted was to see him, his friend from long ago, afraid of him, and so he said the first thing that sprung to his mind to prevent Inuyasha from leaving too abruptly without any kind of understanding between them. It had seemed to work; only now he stood there without moving, without a sound, just watching him with that same empty expression.

Moments past before the houshi grew increasingly uncomfortable with his silence, and with his eyes constantly on him. He cleared his throat, dry as it was, and attempted to speak.

"What do you want to talk about?" Inuyasha asked suddenly.

"A-anything," he replied, a little shaken. "Like…uh…what have you been doing for these last years?"

"Nothing much, just what I usually do, that's all," he said quietly, almost in a whisper. Suddenly, Inuyasha sat down on the grass, and leaned back to rest his head against the tree.

"Are you all right?" Miroku asked worriedly, feeling his forehead and found it damp with sweat.

"Don't touch me!" he cried out, swatting the houshi's hand away.

Dark amber eyes stared directly at Miroku with fear, yet all too soon that look vanished as Inuyasha buried his head in his arms, suddenly afraid to see what he had just done. "Why are you here, Miroku-san?" He asked after a while, still refusing to look at him. "Kagome is already there and safe with you. What more do you want from me?"

His tone, monotonous, virtually to the point of coldness, stopped Miroku from answering him straight away. Looking down at his hand, Miroku could still feel the burning sensation from when Inuyasha had hit his hand away. In some ways, alas, it was a reaction that he was expecting, but upon seeing it, and with such fear in his eyes, fear of him, of the people whom he once knew as friends, made the houshi curse the very fates for their misfortune, and Miroku cursed himself for being its accomplice. If he wanted anything from Inuyasha, he would ask for his forgiveness. But would he forgive?

Inuyasha looked up, thinking Miroku had left him and was surprised to find that he was still there sitting down next to him. Curiosity overtook his better judgement as he leaned forward to see what the houshi was looking at with such a solemn expression.

"Kazaana...?" He whispered, eyeing Miroku's right hand that was covered in the familiar dark purple cloth.

Miroku gasped, the sound of his voice breaking his reverie. "What about it?"

"Is it still there?" He asked, hesitantly.

"N-no...look, see? It's gone...well, I hope it's gone. You...Kohaku did say that you killed Naraku. Isn't that right? Unless of course—"

"He is dead," spoke a voice.

"Inuyasha...?"

"What?"

"No... Never mind," Miroku tried to smile, but Inuyasha had already turned his head away from him. _That voice again._ The first time he heard it, he thought he had imagined it, but now he knew this was not so, for it sounded real enough to him, very real. The voice that came from Inuyasha's mouth was strange, hollow, and almost unearthly in its quality. As if he were..._possessed? _He took the chance to glance at him again while using his spiritual powers to detect any abnormalities in the hanyou's aura, only having to give up after a while when he could not find any evidence to the cause of his...odd behaviour. _Something...or someone is blocking me._ But for what purpose he could not decipher, except for his growing suspicions that it might have some implications to the Shikon no Tama itself. He did not particularly like the inference; however, no matter how much they had tried to ignore it, the truth was that the jewel played a significant role in their lives, manipulating them to its will, then and now, and forever. Even after someone made a wish on the jewel, would it truly disappear, or merely lay hidden, like a disease, until it made its presence known to the victim.

Why was Inuyasha collecting the shards again? Simply because it had shattered after Naraku's demise did not sit well with him. There was something else...

Miroku suddenly shivered.

"You should go back to camp and warm yourself up." Inuyasha said. "Sango-san must be worried about you, always walking away like that."

"What makes you say that?" The houshi answered, confused.

"You are always walking by yourself, never with Sango-san or Shippou-san."

"You know...," Miroku breathed. "You saw me...?" He saw Inuyasha incline his head forward. "No wonder I always felt someone watching me, and whenever I looked, I saw no one there."

"Kohaku-kun wanted to see how you were all going. He was worried about his sister."

The houshi looked at him for a moment; somehow not really believing what he had said was the complete truth. "Sango and I, we did get married, but we never really..."

"Really?" he answered, "I thought you would have had at least two or three by now. Children, I mean."

"Children?" for some reason he started to laugh. "I have wished for that ever since we married. But I couldn't. A husband and wife should only have children when there is happiness, love. I could not give any of that for her. Why should I be happy...when I knew my friend...my dear friend was out there...alone. Why should I have happiness...when I destroyed his?

"In my life, there were many things I never regretted doing, except this. We all knew about you and Kagome-sama, we all did. Yet we never knew why you blocked that well. It was all too convenient, as Kagome-sama said. Deliberate. Shippou saw Kikyou-sama's Shinidamachuu, we followed him, and then we saw you, that...that face. It was horrible." He closed his eyes. "And then we chased you away, so you couldn't harm her any more, no more rude words, no fighting, no constantly hunting for the Shikon no Tama, nothing. You were truly gone, cast aside. From that day on, I hated myself for doing that. I...I knew you wouldn't have done something so...cruel. But seeing you...or whatever that was...everything just fell around me, I didn't know what to believe. This shouldn't have happened. I know this should have never happened. But I guess, it's too late now, isn't it?"

"Too late for what?" the hanyou asked. He had never seen the houshi so upset before. For Miroku to openly pour out his feelings, towards him for that matter, was something he did not know how to handle with a confident manner like Kagome was able to. His hand reached out to touch his shoulder, but quickly retracted it.

"I'm not really sure." Miroku replied while rubbing his forehead. "I apologise; I don't know what came over me. I guess I'm tired."

"Good night then, Miroku-san."

Miroku stopped and turned around. "Aren't you coming? If Kagome-sama wakes up to find your not there, she would be very worried. Please? I would like it, if you stayed with us, if only for her sake." Perhaps it was too much to ask of him, having to ask Inuyasha to come back to camp when it was clear he did not want to be near them, nevertheless Miroku wanted to heal the deep wounds between them. Even if it took years until his very last breath, he was willing to try anything, even if they had to start all over again.

* * *

_Kagome! _

Kagome ran blindly forward, unknowing where her feet were running to, or running away from. She could see nothing but darkness surrounding her, overpowering her, yet she struggled on, running as if her life needed to escape from death. The sounds of her name echoed horribly, sometimes distant, or sometimes as close as it was claustrophobic. The distorted voice pleaded to her, almost to the point of desperation, but what exactly it wanted, whoever it was, the frightened miko was not sure, or willing to stay and find out.

_Help me!_

"Who are you?" she called out, her own voice reverberating around her. Her only reply was the continued cries for help. At last Kagome stopped, and knowingly looking about her in vain, she tried to find the source of the voice which had spoken to her. "Where are you?"

_Help me! Kagome, please!_

The miko spun around, instantly recognising his voice, "Inuyasha!" Immediately, a sudden gust of wind rushed against her, whipping and cutting at her skin. The winds howled at her, violent and piercing, sending her very soul into fright. She called to him again as she began to sprint with renewed energy, and thanked kami when she finally saw his image, clothed in red and his locks of powder white hair billowing behind him. Tears formed at the back of her eyes, slightly blurring her sight, but she kept running and calling out his name.

_Help me!_

"Why won't you stop? I'm here!"

_Help me!_

"Inuyasha!"

He turned around, having heard her calling his name at last. He stared blankly at her, and everything seemed to slow down around her as she stared back at him in horror. He moved a step backward, warily; his eyes still focussed on her, his ears bent back, threatening, and his hands trembling, yet tense, like an animal backed into a corner with no want of being captured by the miko before him. Kagome could not move, as the warmth of the blood circulating around her body seemed to have drained away, leaving her cold and useless. Nor could she even speak to him, to tell him that she was here, to help him come out of his trance-like stare. Why couldn't she move? She had to help him!

_Why do you want to help him, a hanyou? _A cold voice said to her. Before her stood, to her disbelief, someone who looked like an exact, eerie version of Inuyasha himself, dressed in black robes and his distinguishable canine ears, but whose face reflected someone much worse than his demonic youkai half. Someone who looked almost like—

"Naraku!" she cried out in fear.

"No." The metallic voice said. "We are the spirits of the Shikon no Tama." Its face smiled cruelly, and then changed like flowing liquid, until Kagome recognised her from her previous dream.

"Are you going to save him?" The transparent image of the once graceful and authoritative miko asked, pointing behind Kagome with a slender finger.

The young miko looked behind her, and saw the scenery had changed completely. They now found themselves in a grassy area, loosely bordered by the forest on one side, and the rocky overhang on the other, which Inuyasha had his foot much too close to the edge.

"Are you going to save him?" She heard her ask again, her tone now displaying an icy fierceness. The miko shakily nodded, regardless of the growing anger burning within her from the ancient miko's cryptic question. Midoriko then smiled at her, apparently pleased with her answer and, with one swipe of her arm, she pushed the startled hanyou off the cliff.

_Why save him, when his life has already gone?_

Kagome leapt off the cliff after him, and fell rapidly down the cliff face, until there was nothing but darkness in front of her, around her, crushing her...

* * *

Kagome gasped, her eyes instantly opening to the reality of the early morning sun shining on her face, and the overwhelming multitude of colours of the landscape assaulting her vision. However to her relief she saw something that was familiar to her, and she smiled at his sleeping face, marvelling at how even now, he had a slight frown while he slept, a clear warning that he was still alert. She reached up to touch his face, and watched as his eyelids fluttered open.

"Did you sleep much?" She whispered.

"A little," he replied sleepily, before drifting off to sleep once more.

She let out a yawn as she stretched her arms to get the kinks out her joints, and felt something fall from her person. Looking down, she found a large garment of red lying on top of her sleeping bag. Tentatively, she picked it up, feeling the soft furry texture between her fingers which felt like silk to her touch. _His haori..._ To her, it seemed far too long since he had worn it, and concerning the use of Tessaiga, the miko had only seen him once with the blade. Two of his most prized and sentimental possessions which were left by his parents were suddenly hidden from his view, left discarded, as if he wanted no part with them. _Is he ashamed? _

Kagome shook her head and gently draped the haori over Inuyasha's shoulders as a blanket to keep him warm, and then walked over to the campfire to prepare some breakfast.

"Good morning, Kagome-chan." Sango said. "Had a good sleep?"

"Good enough." The miko replied quietly, looking behind her. "I'm more worried about him, though."

"He has been up all night, making sure you were safe."

Kagome looked at Miroku with surprise, but he only smiled sadly and said nothing more to elaborate. "He usually is, but he wouldn't just fall asleep like that."

"You shouldn't worry so much, Kagome-sama." Kohaku said. "He does that to recover, when something...," he clenched his teeth, "happens. He was always like that, it's only when he has to hunt for the shards he becomes, 'alive', if you know what I mean. He could go on for days without stopping. After that he would just sit there, dozing off until there's another shard to be found."

While blowing off the excess steam from the ramen cup so it wouldn't be too hot, the miko decided that she did not like the boy slayer's description. "Well, I won't let him sit there without eating anything. He must be starving. Besides...," she blushed, "it's his favourite flavour."

It was at this very moment, Inuyasha's horse decided to trot into the campsite after considering it was safe to do so, seeing that his master was in no danger from these new and strange people. His nose twitched in curiosity, his big dark eyes blinked at them, and his nose flared every so often while trying to pick the scents off them. It was an inquisitive beast, strong, with a coat of deep brown, yet he was shy around strangers, and tended to hide whenever he felt the need to be cautious. The horse had also – for some strange reason – picked up the most bizarre habit of placing its large head on top of the person he liked, ruffling said person's head, and then breathing right down into the person's ear. And he did just that with the hanyou's ear, causing the poor appendage to sway violently back and forth with each snort, until Inuyasha abruptly sprang from where he was sitting, unsheathing his katana and then flailing it around like a madman, shouting:

"I'm awake, I'm awake! You won't get me, you fucking bastards!" So loud was this outburst, it caused everyone to jump up in fright, and a certain horse to start neighing in laughter. Inuyasha stared wide-eyed in front of him, and the moment of realisation came upon him that he was not alone. He looked at everyone else with the same astonished expression, and they stared back, equally surprised. His face then flushed with colour, and he fell on his rear, embarrassment stopping him from saying or doing anything further.

"Didn't I say, not do that. You know how much he hates it." Kohaku said angrily, before shoving the beast away, but not before the horse had the chance to smile with all of its big teeth showing.

"Kohaku," his sister asked, "where did that...horse come from. It's...well...," she lowered her voice. "It's a bit strange."

"Inuyasha-san said he got him when he was just a foal, but I don't know where he got that personality from. Who ever heard of some idiot ruffling people's hair and breathing down their ears? It's just not natural."

_At least I know where you got yours from, _Sango thought, a tiny smile forming on her face.

Shippou, who had stayed unusually silent ever since Inuyasha appeared back into their lives, quickly stood up, his face refusing to look at anyone for fear that he might betray the emotions he was trying to hide, and that his mouth would start saying things he knew he would later regret.

"What's wrong, Shippou?" the female slayer asked, but the kitsune hurriedly shook his head, and then nimbly ran off until they could no longer see him.

The boy slayer smirked. "Poor thing got upset."

"Kohaku!" his sister exclaimed, and his face reddened in discomfiture.

"What? He's a youkai. It's not like someone like him will get sad over something like this. I bet he's glad that this all happened. I know Kouga is, gloating as usual."

"You don't really believe that, do you Kohaku-kun." Kagome said. "I'm sure Shippou-chan isn't thinking about that. I know what happened was bad, and we've done things we wished...had never occurred. But we can never change that past, no matter how hard we try. We just have to," she looked at Sango and Miroku, "try our best and fix things." Kagome bit her lip, trying to stop the tears from forming at the back of her eyes. "I...I...better give this ramen to Inuyasha."

* * *

During this time, concealed from view behind the thicker section of the forest, stood a group of houshi, Katashi being their leader, and one miko, who had her weapon aimed upon the unsuspecting group, waiting for the command to fire.

"Do you see him, Naoko-san?"

"Y-yes...," the miko replied, her bow and arrow aimed with hesitation.

"Well then," the senior houshi asked, slightly irritated. "What are you waiting for?"

Naoko lowered her bow down and bowed her head in apology. "I can't. They must be friends. Look, can you not see that girl giving him food? And his face, he is smiling."

The rest of the group murmured, undecided whether to agree or not.

"Any beast would be foolish enough to trust _anyone_ who gives him food. Shoot him," he said softly, his tone threatening in her ear. "Or, I am sorry to say, you will live to regret it."

* * *

Until next time...


	56. Chapter 56

The characters of Inuyasha (manga and anime) belong to Takahashi-san

* * *

The Journey Home – Chapter Fifty Six

Shippou skidded to a halt, and then darted behind a tree to hide from the others. The run had caused his breaths to come out in ragged intervals, not from exertion, but from something even he was unwilling to admit out loud. It was a name he could not give to describe it, but it made him feel cold inside, almost like pain. The kitsune hadn't spoken much ever since Inuyasha had reappeared. Every time he tried to open his mouth, something always stopped him, and he would be left much too embarrassed to speak at all, especially when Sango's brother was there, an annoyance if he ever knew one.

Crouching down to hug his knees, Shippou's first thought, though reluctantly, was to question why the hanyou, after years of absence, chose to reappear now. It was a cold way of thinking, he knew this, and he knew that if he tried to ask Inuyasha such a question—

He stopped himself before his mind could complete that thought.

Shippou was at a loss on what to do. The one person, who they drove out of their lives and memories because he was the cause of Kagome's disappearance, was now back, with the miko, though things were far from the normality of their previous lives. Being blessed with an excellent memory, was more than enough for him to remember the unfortunate events leading up to this very day. It was not difficult for him to recall – for memories of the worst kind were always remembered first – the day when they first discovered the Bone Eater's well destroyed, to the point of being unrepairable, and the miko from the strange world called the future was gone. They knew the culprit; he was standing right there in front of them, smiling. But before they could catch him, he had vanished into the forest. And when they saw him again the next day, they accused him of treachery. A year later, he too was never seen again.

How angry Shippou was from that day onwards. Hate was all he saw whenever he caught even a glimpse of bright red cloth flowing across his eyes while walking past merchants or passersby. Yet on other days, Miroku or Sango would see him sitting alone on the roof of their dwelling, his head bent over, and a few drops of water falling from his face.

_I don't know... I don't know anymore..._

Whenever he was alone, this was the very thought which ran through his mind. His hatred had never lasted forever; it had faded somewhat, but it had left something missing, like a void, and with more questions about the past life which he would have rather left alone.

Inuyasha's betrayal seemed so unbelievable, so violent in nature that Shippou sometimes felt he had imagined the whole thing, a nightmare refusing to allow him to wake up. How many times had he wished for everything to have been a dream, to suddenly wake up and find everything was back to normal?

Shippou sighed heavily. He looked behind him and saw them starting the preparations for breakfast. _Normal...? Nothing's normal now..._

"Are they bothering you, runt?" Kouga asked, stepping out from behind the trees.

"What? Oh it's you. You're still here?" Shippou replied, hiding his face from the ookami. Right now he did not want anyone's company, and yet, he had wanted to talk to someone who was – for lack of a better word – impartial to the whole situation.

"Yeah, I want to keep an eye on him." His blue eyes illuminated fiercely against the dark shadows of the trees looming above them. Likewise, his mood was as much the same as before, and he for one, was not afraid to voice it. "I still don't like it. After all these years, who knows what he is really like now? Kagome's playing a dangerous game by staying with him."

"It doesn't look like she's that bothered about it."

"Maybe..." Kouga didn't sound so convinced.

"You're just jealous, I bet. I've never seen someone so... so loyal, to someone like him. I think, not even he can believe it. I never understood why, the things he puts her through... you know? We all gave up, but she never did."

"And that bothers you?"

Shippou simply turned his head and refused to answer, but Kouga had already known what he was thinking. The ookami sat down and ran a hand through his dark hair. Finally he spoke in a low voice, for the apprehension that someone, or something was listening to his every word. Not that he ever cared about such things, but there was something strange in the air, an aura that made his senses edgy, "Then don't let it bother you." The silence told him that Shippou was surprised by this, and if anything else, a little worried.

"I think," he tried to explain, relaxing his position against the tree, "inukkoro there, wouldn't like it if you guys kept worrying so much. He's the kind of guy that doesn't take pity too well."

"What are you trying to say?" it was all he was willing to voice out without giving in to the sudden urge to...to... Claws pricked at his skin as he clenched his fists, the smell of blood tickling irritably at his nose.

"Angry?" Kouga remarked with a sneer. "Whatever, just think about what I've said, okay?" Standing up and brushing the dust off from his fur that formed part of his clothing, he prepared to leave, but a minute sound echoed into his ears, causing his whole body to stiffen. He heard it again, the creak of wood under strain, similar to that of a bow and arrow about to be used.

"Hey, where are you going?" Shippou called out, jumping to his feet to follow the ookami.

It was a short distance before Shippou was roughly caught on the shoulder by Kouga, an indication to stop.

And then he saw it.

A group of houshi and one miko stood some distance from them, their backs facing them and unmoving, their attentions directed at something in the distance. Moving to a better position so that he could see what the strange group were looking at, the kitsune's heart almost stopped when he saw the miko, bow and arrow aimed, at their group, yet hesitating to fire, thankfully enough. For those brief seconds, his feet were frozen, his eyes merely watching in horror of that sharp pointed arrow being aimed for their camp. Aiming... aiming—

—At Kagome.

A shiver went down his spine, but he promptly recovered as a sudden rush of adrenalin forced his feet to move, and he ran to them, leaping forward to push the miko to one side, just managing to knock her off balance, preventing her from reaching her target. _That was close..._

"Another animal, I see."

Quickly, Shippou looked behind him and was startled to see an image of an elderly man staring back at him, mockingly. There was something about his eyes, his deep black eyes that seemed to penetrate his very soul, a power which called to him, teasingly, making his blood run cold. Despite his fear, Shippou found himself getting angry. He hated being mocked, and so from the inside of his coat, he grabbed a few laughing mushrooms and threw them at his face, smiling in grim satisfaction as the mushrooms bounced madly on his face and head.

"Come on, Shippou!" Kouga called out, punching one of the houshi unconscious and avoiding an attack from another. They ran back to their camp, hoping that no one was hurt from the miko's misfiring arrow. No one was, but that didn't mean that a certain miko was very happy about, especially when the shot had hit the cup of ramen Inuyasha was holding as he was about to eat the hot noodles. The contents from the cup splashed onto the ground, leaving the hanyou much too surprised to react at the mere thought of having just lost his breakfast.

Kagome, who found his reaction to this attack on his person somewhat lacking, she pushed it out of her mind, grabbing her quiver and bow, and swiftly aiming it in the direction the previous arrow was shot. _Something's not right, I can feel it..._

In the distance she saw a person walking towards them, then a face, and it was then her feeling of ill ease became more apparent. He came closer still; an elderly man dressed in dark robes, a symbol of his profession, though there was something about his aura that she did not like.

"What do you want with us?" Kagome asked, finding that she had not yet relaxed the aim of the arrow towards him.

The man seemed to remember himself and bowed his head, politely making his introduction to the group. He then pointed to the hanyou, who by now was looking at him with a peculiar expression, yet the miko could not tell exactly what he was thinking as he looked at the man. "I see that he is here, that thing. I must thank you for doing such a... great service for me." He smiled.

Miroku sprang up and jumped in front to face the houshi, his hands clutching tightly on his shakujou. Narrowing his eyes, he whispered in warning. "Get out," but even as he said it, he could feel his brow starting to become moist with sweat. The other man noticed it as well, and he leaned forward, his aura giving a sudden chill throughout Miroku's body.

"Don't be so harsh to one who is from the same profession as you." He continued, his voice smooth, dangerous, quite unlike someone who lived by the peaceful teachings of Buddha. "I will forgive you; you and your companions probably don't know who I am. But perhaps you would know of the task I had sent to you by one of my followers, Naoko and Hisato. You do remember, don't you? Or have you... forgotten?"

Kagome looked from the man, to Miroku, and then back again while wondering what was transpiring between them. The presence of this man unnerved them, she knew that much, but when he mentioned some task he'd previously given to them by one of his followers, the change of colour on their faces indicated to her that she should not let go of her weapon just yet. "What's this all about, Sango-chan?" she whispered, unconsciously stepping back towards the hanyou.

The woman slayer could only look back, her voice having failed her when she was hit by a realisation.

"Sango-chan...?"

"Get him out of here," she warned, and then turned to the houshi, saying, "You must be mistaken. This isn't the person you are seeking. He's not a youkai."

"You are the ones who are mistaken. Youkai or not, he is the one I have been searching for, and you have been kind enough to search and capture him for me, the keeper of the Shikon no Tama. You don't know how long it has taken me to find him." He laughed quietly, as if he had told a joke. "How did you do it, befriend him? I must say, you have done a very good job, gaining his trust. He is weak that way, with those human emotions of his."

"Katashi-sama," Miroku asked suspiciously, "you talk as if you know Inuyasha."

"Perhaps..." he smirked.

Miroku punched him hard in the mouth causing the elderly man to collapse backwards. There was something about his face he did not like, especially when that smirk appeared, stretching his features, like some horrid nightmare. Or more like a bad memory. He then turned around, and saw Kagome standing still, her arms lax yet trembling for reasons he already knew.

"Don't come any closer, or I swear I'll shoot."

"You don't mean that, do you, Kagome?" Kouga tried to say, taking a step towards the miko.

She replied by shooting an arrow near his feet. "This is your fault. If you hadn't chased him away, and said all those things to him..." The bow quivered in her hand. "And now you come back, only to collude with this man to hunt him down again. I can't forgive you for that. I can't! This is your entire fault!"

"Don't you think we know that?!" Sango shouted fiercely, forcing her hand down to prevent her from accidently firing at them. "We know that." She said again, this time more calmly. "We know that."

Silently, Inuyasha stood up, having heard what Katashi had said before he collapsed unconscious to the ground. His words echoed loudly in his head, and from these words came memories, memories of the past he thought were just another vague image of his life as a hanyou. _It's just like before. That's the only reason why they came back, _a voice laughed.

_I won't let them..., _and just as silently, he slipped away, ever thankful that they were still distracted by their quarrelling.

"Please, listen to us." The slayer pleaded. "We didn't know we were for hunting him. The houshi only said we were supposed to find some youkai who had the jewel in his possession. He never said anything about a hanyou."

"No, I don't want to listen. You never listened to him, why should I? We're leaving, Inuyasha." Reaching behind her to take his hand, she was shocked to find that he was not there, in fact he had vanished. "Let me go, Sango-chan!" She cried out when she was seized by the arm. "I have to find him."

"No."

"What?"

"WE have to find him. Right now he could be anywhere in this forest. Where do you plan to start looking first?"

She stared at the woman slayer with indignation, but soon it passed away with a heavy sigh, and she eventually agreed for their assistance, finding out much later just how vast the forest was, which meant that Inuyasha, if she knew from experience, would use the trees as his hiding place, choosing to remain hidden if need be.

Moments later, after the group had left for their search, Katashi stood up, rubbing his cheek in irritation, and wincing as he stretched the muscles in his neck. He cursed his misfortune, but more for the fact that his old, weak body was starting to fail him. A sneer appeared on his lips, which grew more sinister as he saw his group of loyal followers coming to his side to see if he had been injured.

"Find him," he said darkly with a wave of his hand, "I will not let him escape." And with that, they scattered into smaller groups in search for their elusive target.

* * *

"Can't you smell him anywhere?" The familiar question flew into Kouga's ears, much like the way a fly refused to annoy someone else. At least Kagome had an excuse; she was worried about the hanyou after all, even though he had run away, like a coward. Scrunching his nose to sniff the air for his half-dog odour, the ookami was increasingly becoming aggravated when he could not even detect a small trace of his scent. He tried to open his mouth to protest, only to shut it again when Kagome refused even one word from him.

"That fucking arsehole," he breathed out.

"What was that?" Kagome asked.

He laughed nervously, smiling, "Nothing," then turned away to sniff the air again, deciding to keep his thoughts to himself.

Minutes passed as Kagome continued to look around her surroundings while trying to sense his aura, for she had a feeling that he was somewhere nearby, watching her every move. There was some relief when she saw Sango and Miroku return from their search, however just as quickly; her hopes were gone when they too, could not find the hanyou. She wondered if it was a better idea if she had gone on alone, that perhaps if she did, he would eventually make an appearance. _But then what?_ She mused, kicking a few rocks in frustration. It was plain enough that he was somewhat, fearful, on the discovery that he had been a hunted man, by his own friends, and had only run away because he felt he had no other choice. The only choice he had, even back then, when they would not listen to his reasons. Except now, Inuyasha was the one refusing to listen, while the others were actually trying to find him – she could tell as much by the worried look on their faces – which would have been simple enough, if it were not for the other group of spiritual people who had their sights on the hanyou, or more importantly, the dreaded Shikon no Tama.

* * *

"They seem fairly worried about you, Inuyasha." Sesshoumaru said, his cold, golden eyes glancing at the group for a mere second. "Was it really necessary to run away from them?" He looked at him when he heard no answer and contemplated pulling one of his ears to gain his attention. The urge passed.

"This is a matter which does not concern them."

"Indeed. Although I doubt that miko of yours would follow that same logic."

"Yes, it is harder with _her _around." Inuyasha said, yet his voice was not the same.

In the slightest of movements, Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed at this change of persona, and his lips curled into distaste when he saw the faint, pinkish glow coming from under his haori. If there was anything he had learnt of the powers of the Shikon no Tama, it was to never trust such powers, particularly when it was having adverse affects on the owner. "Inuyasha, stop it." He hissed sharply as to not betray their hiding place from the others. The hanyou whipped his head back in response, and for one fleeting moment, the tai-youkai saw something in his eyes which reminded him of his brother from long ago, those same defiant eyes that always provided the source of his annoyances and frustrations, whenever he had the fortune of any dealings with the hanyou.

A rustling noise broke his concentrations, and they both looked up, shock not one of the first words to describe the creature that was staring back at them, its fangs clearly showing, in a grin or snarl, it was difficult to tell. Before they had a chance to react, Kirara jumped from the branch, using her large weight to propel the descent, landed with every grace of a cat, and then promptly snared Inuyasha's collar with her teeth, dragging him as she leapt swiftly off again into the dense trees of the forest. Soon he heard the obvious sounds of feet running towards him, and quickly hid behind one of the larger trees to avoid detection. Not that he had to, Sesshoumaru hid from no one, but that did not mean he did not want to complicate things by making an appearance to them. And so he stood patiently, watching the woman slayer appear first, pointing in the direction where the neko had bounded off, then talking in hushed tones to the miko, who was attempting not to look discouraged.

Sesshoumaru left without a sound.

* * *

Inside the borders of the youkai-taijiya village stood a few huts, most in good condition, solidly built and clean, and yet it gave the impression it had lost all life. With no inhabitants to live in the village, it looked lonely, abandoned by the world outside its perimeter.

Except for one of the larger huts, where it was obvious someone had taken residence. Two hands appeared through one of the windows, holding a small, pale yellow neko. It meowed softly as the person dropped Kirara to the ground, only to gasp in surprise when she jumped up to the window ledge, then again to land on Inuyasha's shoulder, meowing triumphantly when the hanyou decided to give up trying to throw the neko out the window.

"Why won't you go away?" he asked.

Kirara nuzzled his cheek.

Inuyasha sighed, pretending not to notice the soft, warm fur against his skin, the warmth reminding him of Kagome whenever she held him. Warily he looked out the window, but saw nothing to alert his attentions, and heard nothing which would indicate an intruder. Turning around, he observed the interior of the house, finally realising that Kirara had brought him into Miroku and Sango's home. The little neko made a sound as she landed neatly on the wooden floor, padding towards the room adjoining the living room, and stopped beside a small low table. Inuyasha bent over, seeing a few books and a sheaf of paper piled neatly to one side of the table. Picking one of the books up, he eyed the cover which had Shippou's name written on the white strip of paper, and began slowly flicking through it, noticing that every page contained mostly of drawings and small watercolour paintings of people, objects, and a few landscapes. As his fingers were about to turn to the last page, he stopped, sensing that someone was in the same room. He reached for his dagger, his eyes focussed on one of the corners of the room.

"No use trying to hide." He said softly, readying his aim.

No one answered.

He threw the sharp dagger where it landed with a thud, piercing the floor.

Immediately, a puff of smoke appeared, revealing a kitsune. He trembled in the corner, his green eyes unable to look anywhere else but at the hanyou's eyes, the amber colour darkening as he neared him.

"You knew I was here?" He asked.

"Of course," Inuyasha replied, grabbing onto his wrist to pull the kitsune to his feet. "It was amazing that you managed to stay disguised for so long. Did you do all these?"

It was an innocent enough question, yet it left Shippou feeling a little awkward, even more so when he saw the hanyou was about to flip to the last page of his sketchbook. He hastily snatched it away, holding it to his chest. "You can't see that one. It's... not that good." And to his surprise, Inuyasha did not press him further, as his eyes were already glancing around the room, walking around, slowly, deliberately, though the floorboards didn't squeak under his weight. A sense of timidness came over Shippou while he watched him move around the house. It felt almost unreal seeing him, the same person, and yet, not the same person he knew from when he was a much smaller kitsune. There was dullness in his eyes, and that somehow stabbed at him, and he clutched the sheet of paper closer to his chest.

"It has been such a long time." Inuyasha began quietly, touching the flowers that had dried up in the small vase on the table. "You've grown up, so much. I almost did not recognise you."

A long silence passed, where the only sound he could hear was his own breathing. He never knew how such simple words, could affect him so much, that he couldn't find a proper way to answer him without letting go of his emotions. In the end, he finally spoke, however his voice came out as a whisper, and Shippou feared that Inuyasha had not heard him.

"No, I haven't grown up. I haven't grown up at all. I won't lie to you. I hated you. You were always treating her badly. You were never nice to anyone. And I was happy when you went away; I never had to see you again.

"Then you came back and..., and..." Shippou bit his lip. "I swear, Inuyasha, we didn't know it was you. They just came one day asking for aid. To track down a youkai that had the jewel, a youkai who had killed hundreds just for one piece, and then fled in disguise whenever he pleased just to avoid capture. At first we thought it was Naraku, or someone like him. We never knew it was you. You couldn't... I... I... Y-you have to believe us! You have to!"

"Why?" Inuyasha asked monotonously, and the room filled with an unearthly stillness once more. "What is the point? One day, you and everyone else would look back to this day, as a dream."

"What are you talking about?!" the kitsune exclaimed loudly, dropping the page on to the floor. "How can you say that? This... this can never be a dream!" He stepped back in fright, realising with his own words he was saying exactly what he wanted to wish for, for everything to be but a bad dream. _How did he...?_

Shippou shook his head, his gaze falling on to the page that lay in front of his feet. Gingerly, he picked it up and looked at the brush strokes of ink colouring the page, then at the figures smiling back at him.

"Here," and gave the picture to the hanyou, which he took, with a little hesitation.

"It has everyone in it." He said after a while. "You're very talented."

"Yeah... I guess so." A small smile appeared on his face, but it soon disappeared when a sound alerted them to someone trespassing on the grounds. Running to the window, the kitsune spied through the wooden bars, and saw a dark figure walking towards their hut. The colour of his robes, and the sneer on his face were enough for Shippou to whirl around and dash to the living room. He fell to his knees, running his fingers along the floorboards, finally catching the niche of the trap door. "Look, we can hide in here, and we have tunnels we can use to escape."

"Shippou-san..."

"Come on, please. Believe me."

"Believe you...?" Inuyasha repeated, his eyes turning black. And without another word, the hanyou pushed him roughly into the hole, shut the trapdoor and sealed the edges with his ofuda. He could hear the kitsune shout out in anger and his fist pounding against the door, but he ignored Shippou's protests, and sat on the trapdoor with a thud, effectively silencing the noise. He remained in the same spot, motionless, staring at the front door with a blank expression.

The door moved slightly, gradually revealing the bright light of the outside world. A man walked through the doorway, silhouetted by the light, and stopped in front of the hanyou.

"Hello, Inuyasha."

He looked up at the old man.

"Hello, Naraku."

* * *

Sorry I haven't updated for a long time... Hope you like it!


	57. Chapter 57

Characters of Inuyasha (manga and anime) belong to Takahashi Rumiko

The Journey Home – Chapter Fifty Seven

* * *

Shippou stood in the darkness of the secret room below the house, his hand over his mouth to stop himself from making any sounds which would alert the people above him.

At first, he had been furious when Inuyasha had quite unexpectedly, pushed him into the room, and somehow sealed it by some magic, spiritual, but Shippou could not put his mind around that fact. Whatever it was, it had prevented him from using even his demonic strength to open the trapdoor. Even his shouts were ignored, and his heart began to beat faster in panic, his thoughts racing as to why the hanyou wanted him locked out.

His answer came as soon as he heard the heavy footsteps enter through the doorway. The kitsune's nose twitched, recognising the faint smell of the old man they had recently encountered, except now, it was overpowered by an aura saturated with jyaki, flooding the whole house and seeping easily through every crack and opening like a poisonous gas. It took all of his will power not to gag at the smell, and he was somehow thankful that the floorboards protected him from the first surging wave of demonic power. However, the floorboards were the only protection he had against whoever was above him, with Inuyasha.

"Naraku?" the man said, his tone like a spider crawling on his skin. "That is a name I haven't heard in a long time. But, why must you constantly compare me with that horrid hanyou? We both know he's dead. And I have you to thank, for all of your efforts."

Hugging the wall behind him, the kitsune was stricken with terror as he listened in on their conversation, each word burning into his memory, though the meaning of what was said, he could not quite comprehend.

"I have no need for your thanks," Inuyasha replied, his tone eerily subdued. "I just did what Midoriko-san asked me to do, nothing more."

"Ah, yes, she didn't give you much of a choice in the beginning, did she? Then again, I could say she came at the perfect time." He paced across the room, his dark red eyes never leaving the hanyou, while the hanyou sat still on the floor, still refusing to stand up and acknowledge his presence. His defiant behaviour irritated him, slightly. Even with the dark influence from the jewel, somehow Inuyasha always managed to not be overcome by its power, despite his tragic history. What had happened to him to make him so... dead to everything and everyone around him?

The old man grinned, he knew the answer.

"You do realise that Midoriko is using you. Just like your friends, who made you falsely believe that you could call them such a name? And yet, you still watch over them. Why, Inuyasha? Aren't you angry, angry that they chased you away, called you a traitor, a liar? You and I know that they are in the wrong. Why don't you take your revenge on them? Kill them? Show them how grateful you are for showing you, how much they trusted you."

The hanyou laughed coldly. "You know very well, Naraku, that I cannot kill people I know."

"You are a strange one." He said, his thin eyebrows arching up in surprise. Then, frowning suddenly, he raised a clawed hand, waiting to strike. But the feeling subsided quickly when he gave out a heavy sigh. "Please, do not make me lose my concentration by annoying me. You should be more civil to those who you are working for. Or have you conveniently forgotten again, about our deal? That girl certainly does make you forget your promises, doesn't she? First with Kikyou, and now this... I hope I don't have to do something drastic to that girl if you continue to—" The rest of the words were choked down when two hands clamped down on his throat, viciously forcing him to the wall.

"Don't you dare touch her," Inuyasha growled from under his breath, his eyes glowing with growing fury, the want to crush his neck more appealing than wanting to look at his evil face.

"Oh, so she _does _mean something to you." The man remarked snidely despite the feeling of the hanyou's claws digging deeper into his neck.

"Don't you dare..." his voice now lower, threatening, "Don't you _dare_."

Shippou's anxiety grew when he heard their conversation stall abruptly, leaving a pause, which only made the beatings of his heart and his ragged breaths seem even louder and more painful to his acute senses. His body trembled, the fear which would have told his instincts to escape to the safety of the tunnel behind him, were replaced by a horrid curiosity to simply wait, wondering what was conspiring between them, right above him.

And then in a blink, he heard it: a sound ripping through his ears, a scream in agony, followed by nails clawing and flailing at the wood in intense pain. Without thinking, Shippou desperately called out the hanyou's name when the odour of blood filled into his nostrils. Pounding frantically at the trapdoor, he called out again, pleading for Inuyasha to let him out. The strong smell of blood, though by no means a lethal amount, was enough for Shippou's mind to focus on that one smell, one scent.

A scent he could not recognise, and that was what frightened him the most. More than being confined in the dark, not really knowing what was happening above him, and the fact that he thought he heard Inuyasha mention Naraku, a name for the Hells itself, made the kitsune shiver uncontrollably.

* * *

The old man held a hand to his face, half torn, the skin hanging as a trickle of blood continued to drip down his face and chin. Despite the stinging pain of the ripped flesh, his lips thinned into a smirk, while his dark eyes trailed to the floor.

"Looks like we have some rats down there; get rid of them, would you?"

Inuyasha shifted his stance, turning around to face the trapdoor below him. He clutched at the handle of his katana, drawing it out from its scabbard with ease, before swiftly stabbing it through the small gap of the floorboards.

"You must be hearing things." Inuyasha said, after the dust settled from the impact, relieved that he did not hear any noises below.

"Yes, how unfortunate. Never mind. It's not as if your 'friends' can stop you now, eh? Incidentally," he chuckled, his aura glowing darkly around him. "How are you holding up with the Shikon no Tama around your neck? It must be hard for you. What with all that spiritual power from Midoriko, and the dark influences from within the jewel... It's a nasty combination."

Inuyasha's eyes began to change, the amber hues turning completely black. He could feel the man's aura growing maliciously, surrounding him like a heavy blanket, preventing his limbs of free movement. The smells of jyaki which still assaulted his nose were making his thoughts foggy, and so he gritted his teeth tightly together, trying to focus on his surroundings, and to not be succumbed by his evil influence.

_No! I will not let you!_

"You always were a fighter, weren't you, Inuyasha? There is something mildly... admirable about that."

His words were lost to the hanyou as he shut his eyes and clenched at his hands, the prickling sensations of spiritual power increasing at an alarming rate from within his body, fighting off the youki which now permeated the interior of the house. _Stop it! _

The colliding powers lashed around him, fighting for dominance, crushing him in its grip, unrelentingly. The throbbing pain in his heart was excruciating, no matter how much he pleaded for it to end, pleading for the blackness to overtake his consciousness. Even as his claws dug into his palms, causing the cuts to bleed and sting, he took little notice, as his mind could only concentrate on power rushing rapidly through his body, and through his soul.

**"STOP IT!!"**

Abruptly, everything did stop, and Inuyasha slowly opened his eyes, blinking rapidly until his vision readjusted to the dimness of the room. Scanning the small area, he realised the man who had been standing before him a few moments ago, was gone, though the stench of his blood and skin were still there, still strong...

* * *

All was quiet, from what Shippou could tell of the situation. All too quiet, and yet, the atmosphere felt tense.

"Looks like they're both gone." A voice said from behind him.

The kitsune spun around, finding Kohaku standing there with a slight smirk on his face. It was he who had managed to sneak up behind him, pushing him to the ground when the katana sliced through the floorboards – though he would admit he was thankful that Kohaku had saved him in that split second.

"Are you always this slow when you get scared, Shippou?" He asked, said without any mocking tone, which so surprised the young youkai, that he could not find any plausible answer to his question.

The boy just smiled, shaking his head, "Never mind. Let's go after them... unless you want to stay here, where it's safe."

The youkai frowned, catching the slayer's implications from his words. He stalked after him, mumbling under his breath, "As if I would be scared."

It was a short walk before they reached the end of the tunnel, opening the door to find Sango and the others waiting for them.

"What happened? Is he there?" Kagome asked anxiously.

"He was," Shippou replied, looking down at the mouth of the tunnel, shuddering, "and so was that man. Kami, his voice... But it didn't sound like him."

"What do you mean?" asked Miroku. The pale look on the kitsune's face told him Shippou had seen something, or at least heard something, and it clearly had him spooked.

"He... he... Inuyasha called him Naraku. I don't understand it. Didn't you say that he was killed? Why would he call him by that name? I thought he was just an old man, looking for trouble."

Everyone looked at Kagome, waiting to see if she had any explanation on the matter, to which she looked back at them, the expression on her face just as perplexed. Inuyasha had told her that Naraku had died; there was such conviction in his tone. It was unnerving. The young woman knew it wasn't in his nature to lie about such things, especially when it involved their biggest enemy.

"What happened afterwards, Shippou-chan?"

"T-the old guy got angry... there was a fight. I smelt the blood, and then there was this..., scream. I couldn't help him, Kagome. I couldn't... I was there, under the house, right below them. Somehow he blocked the trapdoor, and when that houshi and Inuyasha started talking... I... I—" He shook his head rapidly, trying to focus, and trying to calm his shaken nerves. Not that he had been or was afraid. It was more of a feeling of helplessness while standing still in that small and dark room, knowing to escape, yet finding his legs refusing to agree, knowing that he should have done something, anything, to help him, and yet, he could not.

No, it had nothing to do with being frightened. At least, that was what he reasoned with himself.

* * *

While Shippou was talking with Kagome, Sango and Miroku decided to look inside their house to find any possible clues for their next move. The smell of something burning inside had piqued their interest, and it grew stronger as Miroku opened the door.

The youkai slayer's face contorted at the odour, the smell ominously reminding her of burnt flesh. She heard Miroku gasp, then curse out loud, stepping back while stopping her from taking a peek.

"You had better not."

"Houshi-sama," she warned, but immediately regretted her words when her eyes cast down upon the sight before her.

_Shit._ On the floor lay, in a strange and muddled heap, black clothing, and...

"Th-that's not... skin, is it? Kami, the stench," quickly she shut her eyes from the sight, swallowing back the acid tasting liquid that was forming at the back of her throat. _It couldn't be him..._

"It's not him," Miroku confirmed, the sounds of relief evident in his voice.

"Thank goodness." Her fear subsided somewhat, and her attentions now focussed on the heap of skin and black kimono, which suspiciously had dark fumes slowly rising from it, gradually evaporating when it touched the sunlight streaming from the window. Who was it, she wondered, that lay there, skin and blood, and yet, no body? The image of the elderly man came into mind, as he was the only one who seemed genuinely interested in capturing Inuyasha, referring to him – if her gut feeling told her anything – as if he knew him more than just another enemy. And Shippou's mentioning of Naraku did not help. Sango did not know just how glad and relieved she felt when she heard Miroku say that it was not his...

"It is fortunate, is it not, Sango?"

"Yes... well... it's not like he could easily be done in..."

Miroku eyed her curiously, but the woman was hesitant to meet his gaze. Reaching out to touch her, he stopped midway when he heard a loud scream.

"Kagome-chan!" the slayer exclaimed, dashing out of their house, to find Kohaku's kusari-gama blade pointed at her face.

"No, don't come any closer. I might accidentally hit you if you're not careful."

"What are you doing, Kohaku?" Sango asked, surprised by the boy's display of confidence – and a little arrogance – different from his usual timid quietness. "What is this all about?"

"You don't have to worry. I was only taking back the shards that Shippou had." He made a casual gesture towards the kitsune, who was on the ground, his kimono stained with blood. "These things can be dangerous if the wrong person were to possess them."

"Then, what are _you_ going to do with them?" The houshi replied, noticing that the jewel shard embedded into his back was emitting a strange glow, the same shard that kept Kohaku alive.

"You have no business in knowing that, houshi-sama. Why should you, or anyone else, take an interest, now, after what you've done?"

"What...?" Sango breathed out, blinking, "Wait, come back here!" Attempting to make a grab for his right hand, she missed when the boy slayer turned abruptly, which would have caused her to lose her balance if not for her fast reflexes. For a brief moment, she thought of the possibility of her brother having been taken over by some black influence. _Like Naraku? _However, she saw that there was no blank expression to indicate that he was under his control.

_So why am I feeling so uneasy?_

"You'd have to do better than that, ane-ue." Kohaku said, before sprinting out through the enormous gates of the youkai-taijiya village, much to Sango's disbelief, and annoyance.

"I don't see why he had to stab me, that idiot." Shippou said, clutching his shoulder, while watching Sango and Miroku chase after the boy.

"Are you alright, Shippou-chan?" Kagome asked. "I'm sorry; he was too fast for me to do anything."

"Don't worry about it," he grinned lopsidedly, "it'll take more than that to hurt me. I am a youkai, after all."

"And yet, you allowed a _human _toget close and stab you with a knife." Kouga remarked snidely.

The kitsune huffed, sticking his tongue out at the ookami. "Are you still here?"

Kagome sighed, not knowing whether to roll her eyes or to give them a sharp twist on the ears to stop them from arguing. Deciding against both options, because now was not the time for such things, and the fact that she had never been successful in quelling such disputes whenever Kouga was talking, she went to catch up to the others.

Through the long grass she ran, her feet refusing to slow down – the consideration of being careful and cautious of the enemy were not a high priority. The adrenalin in her body forced her legs to pump faster, while her breaths kept a frantic pace with each running stride. Or was it the dread of not knowing where or what happened to Inuyasha after he had disappeared, which gave her the energy to run?

A small wave of relief washed over her when she saw the figures of Miroku and Sango, from what she could see from where she was, trying to fend off attacks made by Kohaku. The shock caused her to slow down, finally stopping at a safe distance away from the flying weapons clashing against each other.

"Kohaku, stop this right now!" Sango shouted, blocking the kusari-gama with her Hiraikotsu, and then grabbing the chain to prevent her brother from launching it again at them. "I don't want to fight you. And I know you don't want to as well. So why are you doing this?"

He hesitated, his hands shaking slightly despite the strong grip he had on his weapon. "I-I can't tell you."

"Don't be stubborn!" she stared at him, furiously, forcing him to look at her, whether he liked it or not.

"No!" he retorted, the hold on his kusari-gama, determined, unmerciful. The look in his sister's eyes pained him, and as much as he wanted to tell her everything, he could not.

_"If worse comes to worse, Kohaku-kun. You will help me, will you not?"_

_"Of course, Inuyasha-san; but aren't you exaggerating just a little? Nothing bad is going to happen to you. I mean _you_ defeated Naraku. Everything else must be easy, like dealing with some troublesome kitsune."_

_"I guess you're right." He said smiling a little, though the boy wouldn't call it an actual smile._

Back then, he had been confused by his meaning. Surely the hanyou was more than capable with handling anything life threw at him. From what tales he gathered about his life, Kohaku couldn't begin to imagine, how he had managed to live through it all. It was nothing short from incredible. Even so, he was pretty sure it was a feat that Inuyasha would not be proud of, especially when one of his misfortunes involved his friends deserting him. And now they were here, wanting answers from him. If only he knew the answers himself, perhaps then he wouldn't be standing here, because of blind friendship, trying to distract them from discovering whatever Inuyasha was hiding. Instead, perhaps he should have allowed them to pass. Only then would the growing dread in his heart lessen if they found out what he was planning, and help him, or stop him from doing something he was going to regret.

"Ane-ue," the strength in his arms weakened as he lowered his sickle. "Help him... please. He didn't want me to tell you, but—"

His words were cut short when an arrow whistled by, and would have hit him in the shoulder if he had not dodged out of the way.

Everyone turned their eyes to where the arrow had originated, and were collectively surprised when they saw Kikyou, with her stance as steadfast as the bow and arrow she expertly held, the metal sharp tip of the arrow aimed at Sango's brother.

"Kohaku," and without another word, she let the arrow loose.

_No!_ Something in Sango's mind snapped, and in the next second she was running towards her brother, grabbing his legs, and pulling him to the ground so the arrow missed them by inches.

"Sango, Kohaku, are you all right?" Miroku asked worriedly, helping them to their feet.

"Kikyou, what do you think you're doing?" Kagome ran to face the miko, shielding the others in case she decided to take another shot at them.

"Why, do you not trust me?" she answered, walking closer to the young woman, her lips smiling, cold. "Look behind you and see for yourself, and then tell me what you think."

They looked behind them, and saw where the arrow had landed, and the remains of a youkai, its snake-like body still writhing, before it stopped, dead.

"They still want your shard, Kohaku." Kikyou continued, "The Shikon no Tama is near completion. You are aware of this?" she saw his eyes fall to the ground. "I see. Next time, do not be so reckless. We do not have the luxury to have trivial squabbles with siblings and their... friends."

"Just what are you trying to get at?" Kagome asked, somewhat put off by her icy demeanour.

"Kagome, where is Inuyasha, or have you lost him again? You certainly are unreliable."

The young miko seethed, and would have said something along the lines of an argument, if it weren't for the tense expression she saw on her face. She was right, Kagome supposed, time was being wasted, but that exactly didn't make her feel any better. And who was she to tell her that she was unreliable? It was not as if she kept Inuyasha on a leash like a dog...

She blinked, and shook her head, after having a fleeting thought about the hanyou's rosary, a thought which made her involuntarily flinch. Yet the image was brief, as Kagome felt an aura from just behind her, like a breath of cold air down her bare neck, sending chills throughout her body.

"Why, Kikyou-san, you shouldn't call Kagome unreliable. Here I am, like a good little obedient puppy." He laughed. "What's the matter, Kagome? Is something wrong? I thought you'd be happy to see me."

Kagome stepped back, startled by his sudden and silent appearance. It was almost... creepy.

"No...," she whispered, although she did not know why she had said it. It seemed her mouth had decided to voice what, and why her mind was being so prickly about this person.

"What?" He replied smoothly, smiling his strange smile.

"No," she repeated, more certain now. "You can't be him. Inuyasha doesn't talk like that."

This time his laughter rang out loud, much to the uneasiness of everyone present. "Is that so? How observant of you. But how can you be sure? I could be him. Your mind could be only playing tricks on you. You believe me, don't you, Miroku-san, Sango-san, Shippou-san? Yes, I remember all those times we spent, don't you? Whenever I held you in my arms, the little promises we made, and those tiny pink flowers that I liked to decorate into your hair..."

He neared closer towards her, causing her face to redden as she backed away, though her eyes were still trained on his, watching his slow, predatory movements. The features on his face gradually changed into something sinister and terrifying, fuelling the miko's disbelief that someone would be sick enough to imitate her hanyou's face, and turning him into some form of a monster. What was worse was that this person had even dared to tell her, and everyone else for that matter, the most intimate moments between Inuyasha and herself. _The nerve of him!_

Nevertheless, she chose to remain, for all appearances, composed, lest he found out she was actually nervous with him being so dangerously close. The thought of her bow and arrows came to mind, and she wondered if she would have enough time to draw them out. Of course time was never forgiving in such situations, and she wasn't exactly in the position where she could swiftly draw out her bow and arrow, without him catching on what she was attempting to do.

Kikyou on the other hand, was simply unforgiving as she let loose the string that kept the arrow taut in her grasp. It flew, narrowly missing Kagome's cheek, and hitting straight to his awaiting hand, where he caught it, only to release it when the miko's power reacted to his skin, partially melting it. His eyes fell to the deformed limb, his response oddly calm, even if his frown was showing signs of mild irritation.

"Enough." Kikyou commanded, her patience wearing thin. "You will tell me where he is, now."

Looking at her with piercing eyes, the frown on his face turned into a smirk, morphing his features into something different, someone different. "And ruin the ending, Kikyou-san?" The flesh on his limb began to blacken, bubbling as it shrivelled, releasing poisonous jyaki from the wound. And from the wound, whip-like structures flailed out, striking the miko in the shoulder and stomach. With satisfaction he watched her recoil in pain, and the fumes which had penetrated through, infecting her.

Then from out of nowhere, he heard an enraged shout, and the feeling of the wind picking up erratically around him. Turning his head, he barely caught a glimpse of the blur of Sango's Hiraikotsu before it sliced through his body, causing the jyaki to spew out onto the ground, burning the grass underneath their feet.

"I've got you!" Sango retrieved her incoming weapon, fairly pleased that she had been able to stop him from doing anymore damage. Just like Miroku and Shippou, she had been taken aback by the hanyou's appearance, and his horrid voice threatening their friend. But as soon as his mask was unveiled, it felt much easier to get rid of him. A bit too easy—

"Sango, I don't like this," Miroku murmured.

"I know."

"You don't know?" The man asked cruelly, his form quickly disintegrating into billows of murky, dense demonic power, and rising above them in dark shadows. "Shall I tell you? Look behind you. No, no, I'm not joking this time. Do you see? I don't lie."

"Inuyasha-san, wh-what are you doing here? I thought you were—" The boy gasped loudly when he felt an unexpected, sharp pain shooting from his neck. And in that same instant, he saw the hanyou's black eyes staring at him, unemotionally, his hand dotted with red, and holding a bloodied jewel shard in his fingertips. Kohaku's vision then became blurred, then dark, and then, nothing at all.

All was silent.

_Kohaku..._ Sango's body felt numb, having dropped the large boomerang when she saw her brother fall to the ground, and he remained unmoving even as she quietly walked up to him, touching his face and hands, and finding them cool to the touch. Tentatively, she picked him up, hugging him close to her body, in vain hopes that she could warm him up. But the tears running down her face betrayed her hopes, and she ended up crying his name over and over again.

"Inuyasha..." Kagome could feel her own tears tickling at the corners of her eyes. Raising her blue-gray eyes to meet his, unbelieving of how quick, and how brutal he had been for the sake of one shard; she saw how black his own eyes were, as if he had no life behind them. She didn't even notice Kouga stepping in front of her, speaking to her in hushed tones.

"Don't you see now, Kagome? He's dangerous. Whatever you think, he's not the same person, anymore." Cracking his knuckles, and summoning the power of his Goraishi, he sprinted forward for the attack. He was pissed, he was certain of that. If the half-dog killed the boy off so easily with his claws, how easily he could go on to attack everyone else, especially Kagome. Snarling in anger, he leapt, and then used his momentum falling to slash in front of him. Not waiting for the dust to settle, he ran after Inuyasha, who had somehow jumped away from his assault and was escaping from his grasp.

Just then Kirara arrived, landing gracefully on the grass. Growling in distress, she picked Kagome up by her collar, and prepared to lift off again, but not before Miroku used his chance to catch a ride with the neko.

"Where are we going, Kirara?" Miroku asked, using his shakujou to help Kagome climb onto the youkai. She roared in response, gliding above the trees, the long grass, and finally to the front of a large cave, where Kouga stood outside, wariness in his posture.

"This is the cave where Midoriko lies, isn't it?" the houshi looked into the mouth of the cave, finding nothing usual about it, besides from the spiritual barrier blocking their way, crackling with power as they neared it.

"I tried to get through, but as you can see," Kouga showed them the burn marks on his arm. "Inukkoro ran in there. The bastard just ran in, without noticing I was attacking him. "

"He did? I have to go in after him!" Hurriedly, Kagome jumped off the neko, and against the warnings from Kouga and Miroku, she ran inside, disappearing from sight.

* * *

The young woman slowed down to a walk, carefully making steps across the dirt floor. She didn't like how noiseless it was inside the walls of the cave, which made the breeze sound more eerie as it whistled against the rocky surface. Gulping as she went further into the cave, her fear became more palpable when the realisation hit upon her that she was in Midoriko's cave, the one who made the Shikon no Tama come into existence, someone who was as mysterious as her intentions, whatever they were.

A dangerous woman...

At least she was sure of one thing: Inuyasha had run into this cave.

Taking a glance behind her, she saw Miroku and Kouga calling for her to come back, and wondering why they could not go in like she had done.

Suddenly, a bright flash of light erupted, covering the inside of the cave with its brightness, blinding Kagome's vision. Wincing as she held her arms up to shield herself from the light, she also heard a scream, just as intense, if not more.

And from that scream, came one thought to her—

**"Inuyasha!" **the light started to fade away, yet the miko was already in the spot where she had heard his voice. In front of her, amongst the piles of youkai long passed, stood a tall being, his hair of white, similar to the hanyou, only it was tinted with bluish highlights.

"Well, finally we meet, Kagome. Though I must say, you went through that barrier quite easily." He turned, showing his face. "Oh come now, don't be afraid. You do not have to shy away from me. Is my face that scary?"

"I didn't come here to talk about your face." Kagome answered, feeling a little braver. "Inuyasha ran in here. Where is he now?"

"He had to leave. But he did leave something very special for you. Here. Please, do enjoy it." He moved his position to fully face her, throwing what appeared to be a large object at the girl. It hit her in the stomach, but because of how unexpectedly heavy it was, Kagome fell backwards, landing on her bottom with a thump.

Cold laughter filled the cave, echoing around them. "A bit heavy, isn't he?"

Kagome shook her head to regain her bearings, trying to ignore the stinging of her muscles when she had fallen over, and the weight that was on her legs. Shifting a little, she caught a glimpse of the grey hakama, the black cloth and the sleeves. She then saw the snow white hair lying carelessly behind him, his canine ears drooping sideways, and then lastly, his face.

"Inuyasha...? Inuyasha, wake up! Wake up!!" The colour drained from her face, the rising dread making it harder for her to breathe. No matter how many times she patted his cheek, how many times she called out his name, how many times she kept checking for any signs of breathing, a heartbeat, he did not respond. _Please, please, wake up! _Desperately, she clutched at his shoulders with her small hands, shaking him, until she felt so weak inside, that she could not do anything else but cry.

"There, there," said an oddly sympathetic voice. "Don't cry. He wanted to end it this way."

"Wh-what?" she looked at him through teary eyes, too distraught to think coherently.

"He made his wish. And every wish has its price. Why don't you join him, Kagome? Then he wouldn't have to feel so lonely. Think about it. Two souls, intertwined, forever," he grabbed her chin, forcing her to look at him.

The miko was unable to look away, helpless, as his blood red eyes seemed to penetrate through her like a knife through her heart. Breaking out into a cold sweat, Kagome felt something drain away from her, ripping her apart, but she was too frozen to scream. She was paralysed, and she could not do anything to stop it, let alone fight the monster that killed—

"He's... he's...?" she whispered, her world turning a brilliant white with flashes of pink. _Why...?_

"Aren't you happy that I am willing to let you join him?" his voice halted, apparently angry with someone. Kagome wasn't sure. She was so dizzy. She heard him curse Midoriko's name. _Inuyasha, I'm frightened... _Then she heard other voices, calling out her name, but she was so tired.

Tired...

...And alone.

_Inuyasha..._

* * *

"Kagome...? Is she...?"

"Look, she's opening her eyes."

"Oh, thank Kami-sama."

"Nee-chan..."

Kagome woke up, seeing her family looking back at her with mixed expressions of worry and relief.

"Where am I?" she asked, confused.

"We were so worried about you, dear. After Miroku-san did that incantation, you both fainted. It was horrible; we had to take the both of you to the hospital. I was so scared that I would lose you."

"I'm... in the hospital? I... I don't understand."

"Yes, dear, it's alright. You were in a coma for about a month."

* * *

Until next time...

You thought I would never update, did you?


	58. Chapter 58

The characters of Inuyasha (manga and anime) belong to Takahashi Rumiko

The Journey Home – Chapter Fifty Eight

* * *

Kouga winced in pain as he tried to push himself through the barrier, ignoring the sting of spiritual power piercing through his skin. He had seen Kagome run into the cave without any resistance, but when he ran to follow her, the barrier forced him stuck outside the entrance, and fearing for the miko's life.

Slamming his fist against the wall, he glared at the houshi, "What's wrong bonzu? Shouldn't you be able to go through this fucking thing?"

"It is not as easy as that, Kouga." Miroku frowned, not liking how every time the answers were so close to them, someone was not willing to allow them the knowledge. Yet when he heard those horrid screams, like a person being ripped apart; he redoubled his efforts, desperately. Only this time, strangely enough, the houshi almost fell onto the ground from the force he used to push against spiritual wall. He didn't think much of it as he followed Kouga's lead, yet from the chill he felt when he knew the familiarity of their voices, Miroku didn't even want to think of the possibility of something... bad had happened.

They stopped in front of the numerous calcified youkai, to find Kagome grasped by a bright light, and then disappearing into nothing in a matter of moments. Kouga curse many times when he saw the girl gone before his eyes, her scent having quickly dispersed from his keen nose. All he could smell now was miasma, and _his_, half-breedscent.

"That bastard, he did this. I know he did."

Miroku would have said something in retort, if he hadn't seen Inuyasha lying limp nearby, unmoving. A lump formed in his throat as he neared him, reaching out to see if this sense of dread would be proved to be false. His fingers touched Inuyasha's hand, almost reeling back when it felt cold, and devoid of his once, usually fiery aura. Even if it was from long ago, it was not an aura Miroku would easily forget. And now, it was gone.

"Is he... dead?"

The houshi didn't answer, as his gaze was focussed on a bright glint coming from Inuyasha's clenched hand. Overturning it, the glint glowed brighter, an ominous colour. Its power seemed to draw him in, wanting to touch whatever spherical object was in his hand. It was the Shikon no Tama, the whole completed jewel, he was sure of it, gripped in the hanyou's fingers like a vice.

Kouga knew this as well, crouching down and attempting to pry it out of his fingers.

"I wouldn't do that, if I were you." A voice said, echoing around them. "It could be dangerous."

"Really," Kouga growled, cracking his knuckles as he stood. "Then why don't you come out and show us, instead of lurking around in the dark, coward."

"Oh, come now. I was just saying. Do whatever you wish, Kouga." The underlying menace in his tone only provoked the ookami's anger, and so before Miroku could react, he unleashed his Goraishi and slashed the weapon against the rock wall, purposely missing the figure that had darted out of striking range.

The man landed before them, his hair pale and long, while his eyes spoke of the evil he could let loose upon them. He was dressed in the robes of the houshi, Katashi, and his face lit up when he saw that they recognised his clothing. "Yes, Katashi is dead, and had been for quite some time. I just decided to borrow his body until he became useless to me. Humans don't last very long when possessed by so much jyaki."

"What did you do to him?" Miroku demanded, pointing towards the hanyou.

"Nothing," he replied. "He just did what he had to do, and for that he had his wish granted, nothing more."

"Nothing...? If it were nothing, he wouldn't have ended up like this."

"Well, that exactly isn't my problem," he said, smirking. "He should have thought about the consequences before making such wishes."

_He... made a wish? _

"Yes, that's right. I don't see why you are so surprised."

Kouga could see why, it was obvious Inuyasha had wished for death, seeing that he had no chance of redemption with his companions. Though some doubt of that notion did form in his mind, it was gone when his eyes looked upon the dimly glowing jewel once again. The whole jewel lay before him, so close to his reach. How easy it was to pry it away from the hanyou's fingers. He wondered if such power was granted to him from only two shards, then he could only imagine what he could gain from the whole orb.

The ookami's ice blue eyes shone fiercely, as he reached for the Shikon no Tama, much to the delighted face of the man before him.

It was too easy.

Suddenly, the jewel began to pulse, its once pinkish hue turning dark, and crackling with dark energy. Inuyasha's eyes slowly closed, snapping open to reveal a blank, soulless stare, as he plunged a dagger, narrowly missing Kouga's fingers. The hanyou snarled at him, his fangs white and vicious, making him appear more like a wild, untamed animal. He growled as he stalked towards him on all fours, such strange behaviour surprising even Kouga.

"Shit, I thought you were dead." Kouga dodged out of the way when the hanyou leapt at him for the attack, avoiding Inuyasha's feral thrashings of his claws. It took a brief moment for the ookami to overcome his shock, defending himself as he tried to find an opening to the relentless assaults. For all the reckless fighting he had with the half-breed, this was nothing like he had ever seen. It was almost ridiculous with the way he was flailing his arms and claws like a mad dog. Soon, he became furious, punching him in the stomach with an uppercut to his chin, forcing him down to the ground, where he landed with a thump.

"You're really something, you know that, hanyou? What's wrong with you? Fight with me properly, or else I'll cut that hand off, if you still insist on holding on to the Shikon no Tama. Don't think that you have any right to hold it, you filthy mutt. Give it to me!"

"Now, now, don't be like that, Kouga. Inuyasha can't help it if he can't let go of the jewel."

"What the fuck do you mean by that?!"

He smirked, "Let's just say it holds something very special, something that means a lot to him. So I don't think you'd want to hurt him, too much. What would Kagome say if she found out?"

Miroku thrust his arm out in front of the ookami before he could retaliate. "You seem to know a lot about what is going on. Why don't you enlighten us?"

"Oh, must you ruin everything? You already know most of it, you and your little troupe created the scene. So you should be able to enlighten me. " He walked over to the hanyou, who had not moved from his spot, his eyes staring blankly at the floor. "I am just here to reap the benefits," the man grabbed Inuyasha's face with his hand, where it pulsed with dark power. Shouki flowed into the hanyou's body, making him relax his grip around the glowing sphere. It then slowly rolled out of his hand, before Inuyasha slumped against the wall, motionless once more. "Why Midoriko kept you alive, I have no idea. Half-breeds have no place in this world, nor does that little miko of yours."

* * *

Kagome stared at her mother, disbelievingly. How was it possible that she experienced all that – meeting Inuyasha, her friends, the all too real conversations, the adventures... and the way he held her, kissed her - only to have it end up being just a coma?

"I... I don't believe it... I can't."

"I'm sorry, dear. I know how much you wanted to go."

Tears began to fill in her eyes, unable to comprehend such quiet cruelty of her mother's words. Didn't she realise that she didn't want to go, but had been there, in flesh and in spirit? Kagome wasn't one to lie about such things, and yet, the sincerity of her mother's voice, telling her that everything was alright and that she understood why she would be disbelieving of her words, only made the young woman cling unsurely to the older woman's clothes, though she did not cry. She wouldn't let herself cry. It was real, she told herself numerous of times. Clearly, no one knew what she had been through; it was as simple as that.

After she had been discharged from hospital, on Kagome's insistence, the Higurashi family arrived home to the shrine. A smile grew on her face when she saw the old well house, and in her excitement, she ran to the blessed structure, opening the door to see the well still in its place. She would show them, show them that she had been to Sengoku jidai, like the many times she had traversed to the bygone era. However, when she jumped in, expecting its magic to transport her, she felt nothing, save for when her feet touched the ground.

"Nee-chan, did anything happen?" Souta asked his sister.

"No, nothing, but..." she whispered, before starting to dig frantically at the earth. Why couldn't she go through? Inuyasha had unblocked the well from the other side, she was sure of it. _So why...?_ The shallow hole became deeper as she continued to dig at the dirt, not caring for her muddy hands and now stained clothes, not caring for the hot tears stinging at her eyes silently knowing that it was hopeless. All she knew was that she had to go there, go to where her hanyou was, to make sure he had not gotten himself into trouble, or worse. Not once did she look up to see the sad expression on her mother's face, her own tears slowly trickling down her cheeks.

"Kagome..." She was relieved when her daughter heard her voice.

"Nothing's happening, mama. Why?"

"I know, dear. Why don't you come out of there? You had a rough day."

"What do you mean, you know?" the miko replied, her growing frustration evident in her tone. "How can you know? I've been there, I know. I... he... Inuyasha needs me." Yet, in the end, regardless of the almost feverish pace she dug at the ground, and how much she prayed to the kami to let her through, the smallest of doubts made her tired. The threat of tears didn't improve her mood either as she gave up digging to only start pounding hopelessly at the earth. _Why...?! _This was not supposed to happen; she was supposed to be in Sengoku jidai, she knew that much, very clearly in fact. So why in all the hells was she back at home, and now unable to go through the well to the other side?

Nothing made sense. Perhaps she was tired, as her mother had hinted. Sighing, Kagome stood up, surprised to find her brother standing next to her, his hand touching her shoulder.

"I... couldn't get through." She said softly, more to herself than to him.

Souta didn't reply, but his eyes told her much, too much, and she had no choice but to take his hand, allowing him to take her out of the well and into the house for a much needed dinner.

For the most part, their dinner of ramen was like any other pleasant dinner with the family, except for Kagome, who, once she saw the bowl of steaming noodles placed in front of her, just stared at it while her complexion turned pale. She felt faint, even nauseous with her heart beating at irregular beats.

"I'm sorry, mama. I don't feel that hungry," she finally said, pushing the bowl away so that she was not looking directly at it.

"Yes, of course. Do you want me to draw up a bath for you?"

"No, no, I just want to go to bed, that's all." Now feeling exhausted, she made her way up the stairs and into her bedroom, where she promptly fell onto the bed, numb, and her heart, aching.

* * *

The next day, Kagome woke up in the same position as she had fallen asleep, though she did not feel refreshed at all, only more tired than yesterday; after she found out she was still on her bed and not in the feudal era. Upon her realisation, all her worries and doubts resurfaced, along with the dull pain in her heart. Slipping the covers off, she got out of bed, wincing as the pain in her chest doubled in intensity. She bent over, a hand over her chest as she took deep breaths to calm herself.

Just then, her mother opened the door to see if her daughter had awoken, only to rush to her side in anxiety when she saw the state Kagome was in. "My poor Kagome, what's the matter?"

"Mama, it hurts..." As soon as the words fell from her mouth, her mother's arms wrapped around her, rubbing gently at her back.

"It's alright, it's alright," she murmured. "I'm here now; the pain will go away soon."

And gradually, the pain did vanish, but it left questions as to what was causing the young woman to hurt so much. Her mother had drawn a blank as well, as she had been told by the doctors that Kagome had not suffered any physical injury from the time she fainted, when Hojou's friend, Miroku, chanted a spell with intentions to send her girl to the feudal era. Best intentions, yes, but it was unfortunate how the spell went awry, causing both Kagome and the man to collapse into a coma, where he still lay in hospital. It was a terrible ordeal indeed, and it still seemed to have affected her precious baby with unexplainable pains.

"Perhaps you should take it easy, Kagome. I know, Hojou heard about your recovery, and will be coming in to see you."

"Oh," she replied. Although the truth was that she really did not want to see anyone, not after what had happened. "I want to see him." Kagome said, sighing, thinking about Inuyasha.

Mama Higurashi smiled in relief. "Hojou-kun would want that too."

* * *

True to his word, Hojou arrived at the Higurashi household, carrying an extra large basket filled with fruit and other stuff for health and well-being. Hojou always did have a habit for being overgenerous when it came to her health.

"Higurashi, I'm glad that you're up. I was so worried about you. I'm sorry, this is my fault. I thought I could've helped you. I didn't know that spell would cause you to have a coma."

"I'm fine, Hojou-kun," she reassured him, accepting the heavy gift before placing it on the floor. "I heard your uncle's friend, Miroku-san, still hasn't woken up."

"Yes, I... I don't understand how this could have happened."

"Me neither..." Sighing, she looked away from him, feeling horrid all over, despite the fact that he tried to help her, going out of his way to bring his uncle's friend to help transport her to the other era, only to have it all backfire the way it did.

Suddenly, a thought flashed through her mind, causing her to look up and straight at him with determined eyes. The spell had worked, perfectly. This was not a matter of her having some sort of hallucination, that it was merely a dream based on her desire to see him again. It couldn't have been. And so, grabbing Hojou by the wrist, she announced that they were going somewhere quiet to talk about things, giving no choice but for the poor boy to follow.

A short time later, they were seated inside a small cafe, two cups of green tea and slices of chocolate cheese cake in front of them, forgotten, as Kagome tried to explain to Hojou how her trip to Sengoku jidai had been all too real.

"I understand what you are trying to say, Higurashi. But, I saw you when he did that spell, and you didn't disappear, or anything. There was just a bright light, and then you collapsed, and stayed like that. And when you didn't wake up... I was really scared that the spell might have killed you."

"So... all this time... but I..."

"I'm so sorry."

"But," she began, her voice almost breaking. "But I have been there. Y-you have to believe me. You have to..."

"Well, m-maybe you went there in spirit." Somehow, Hojou knew he should not have said such a thing, and cursed himself when he saw Kagome burst out into tears, the most sorrowful crying he had ever seen or heard in his life. Even as he tried to console her, nothing seemed to work, and it broke his heart to see her like this, like a small child lost in an unfamiliar place.

"Here, let me take you home." Gently, he stood her up to her feet, and together they walked back to the shrine in silence.

* * *

Kagome's sobs lessened as they reached the shrine steps. "I'm sorry, Hojou-kun. I don't know what came over me."

Hojou smiled, embarrassed. "Don't worry about it."

"But, you do believe me, don't you?" Kagome pleaded, though the look of uncertainty on Hojou's face stopped her short from saying anything further. Instead, she gave him an appreciative smile, telling him that she was grateful for all of his help, and that he was a kind friend for simply listening to her, and not thinking that she was just being delusional. Perhaps she was being delusional, and in fact she had experienced a surreal dream, causing her to think she had been to Sengoku jidai.

Kagome shuddered at the mere thought of it.

"You know, Hojou-kun," she told him earnestly. "Thanks for everything, for being a good friend. A girl would be very lucky to have someone like you."

"R-really...?" he blushed. "Well... I was—" Hojou then shook his head, deciding that it was probably best not to ask if she would be willing to go out with him – a friendly outing between friends, that is – not when it was obvious she preoccupied all of her thoughts towards him, and still did, even after many years had passed. He couldn't help feeling a little jealous of this person. This Inuyasha guy must have been really something to warrant such... devotion.

He watched her leave, as he whispered, "Please... take care."

* * *

"Kagome?" the ookami questioned angrily, hating the way the man's red eyes seemed to pierce through his own, forcing his way into Kouga's soul. "What's happened to her?"

"Good question. I want to know that myself actually. Last time I saw her was when she was hugging that half-breed, and then she simply vanished into a bright light, body and all. Unlike him, now isn't that strange?"

The ookami growled, though he had little time to do anything else, when his instincts told him to duck out of the way before a large sword flew swiftly past him, and into the chest of the white-haired being. And for a moment, the man cringed in pain, even when strangely enough; no blood flowed from the wound.

"What is this?" he asked, mocking them as he removed the blade from out of his chest, appearing unfazed.

"To silence your nonsense," Sesshoumaru replied, stepping in to deliver his attack of venomous claws. They hit their mark, toxic fumes spilling out easily. "But what annoys me more, is the fact that you are not dead. What are you, anyway?"

"I am not of this world," he said, his voice echoing darkly off the rock face. "I am Magatsuhi."

"Kami-sama," Miroku breathed out. Now he understood why he felt so much evil emanating from him, almost to the point of making him ill. No, this feeling was much worse, especially when the person was staring at him, smirking.

"Yes, that's right, houshi-sama. I come from the Shikon no Tama itself, the very essence of malevolence, from the youkai that were sacrificed to form part of this very jewel. I was getting impatient with its completion, so I decided to take over the body of a dying old man. You see, even one versed in the ways of life, knowing that all beings must one day die, he himself had become scared of his own death. It was perfect."

"But why then, did you need Inuyasha?" the houshi said.

"Why? Because men who are desperate are easier to manipulate, a man who has lost everything, will do anything. And the hanyou did lose everything. All that happiness he thought he could have, taken away by the ones closest to him."

"You mean...," Miroku could not believe it. This... thing was responsible for all of their troubles. Now he understood. To think that only people or youkai yearned for the Shikon no Tama, and its completed power, the jewel itself desired completion, and used any means necessary to obtain its goal. Each time it seemed, betrayal was its favourite trick, first used with Inuyasha and Kikyou, and now...

_Betrayal..._

Now Miroku understood, and it made him sick in the stomach.

"You monster!" he hissed, to which Magatsuhi simply laughed.

"Yes, I am. It's what I do best. But then, so are you, and Sango, and that little kitsune, Shippou. And, you know who the worst monster is? That girl, the little bitch... No matter what I do, she always finds a way to thwart me. Though I suspect Midoriko has something to do with it. So I guess I would just have to wait, like the rest of you." And yet, he did not wait, choosing instead to glide towards the houshi, staring at him with his blood red eyes.

The houshi didn't dare move, even when the man grabbed him by the neck with his cold hand. He could feel the shouki seeping into his skin, but it did nothing to contribute to the sickness he was feeling from seeing how easily he was influenced to hurt his poor friend, to the point of wanting to end everything...Still, this was no time to be overcome by grief, no. He only hoped he had done enough to distract Magatsuhi away from the hanyou.

* * *

Sesshoumaru paced silently into the clearing, having smelt the air for the slayer and her brother. He found her, huddled over the boy, quietly weeping and rocking him like a small child. She did not even notice him when his shadow loomed over her, but Sango did jump when the Tai-youkai dumped Inuyasha's body beside them.

"What in the hells do you want?" She said, her reaction a mixture of anger and shock, anger at him for bringing the one who killed Kohaku, and shock at seeing Inuyasha being thrown down so easily by his youkai brother. "W-what happened to him?"

"I do not know. But I do not sense any aura from him. Like an empty shell." For a long time, Sesshoumaru stared at him, and the taijiya wondered what he was thinking about, with his eyes glazed over by some distant memory. Then his eyes narrowed, as he slid Tenseiga from out of its sheath, before stabbing the blade into the hanyou's heart.

Nothing, not even a tiny movement, not even visions of the creatures from the underworld, which usually accompanied those who were killed in a premature death.

_Why?_

"You useless fool," he sneered, his poorly veiled hurt evident to even Sango. With a flick of his wrist, he pulled out the Tenseiga, and then turned away from him without saying a word.

Sango found herself staring at the hanyou with wariness, shielding her brother in case he decided to move. But he did not, which in all frankness, the slayer felt no better. Heaving a sigh, she carefully laid Kohaku next to the man, not knowing what else to do besides sitting there feeling useless, just as the youkai brother had said about Inuyasha. She didn't realise what had happened since he clawed out the shard of the jewel from her brother's back. None of it really mattered. The many moons of searching, praying, and hoping for his safety from Naraku's clutches, and then wondering what had happened to him afterwards, only to find him dead by the one person – she now admitted – he looked up to. And now, strangely enough, Inuyasha lay motionless in front of her as well. Though she didn't dare touch him, nor ask Sesshoumaru why he placed him next to Kohaku.

It was enough to see that he clearly was not breathing. _It serves you right, you... you..._ Sango bit back a sob, already overwhelmed by the death of Kohaku, and not feeling ready to deal with more tragedy. All she wanted to do was sit there and cry.

But then, what about the others, she thought with a start. What had happened to them: to Miroku, and Kagome, and Shippou?

_Miroku! _"No." Quickly, she stood up, lifting the Hiraikotsu to her shoulder.

"Sango, there you are."

"Houshi-sama, you're alright. Thank goodness."

"Yes," he said, smiling. "I'm alright. But you look terrible. What happened?" Miroku took a step closer towards her. However, she found herself stepping back, the voice in the back of her head telling her that something was wrong, particularly the way his eyes seemed to glisten with brightness, and the smallest glint of a metallic object peeping out of his robes.

"Oh, my dear Sango, why do you look at me like that?"

The slayer replied by grabbing his wrist and twisting his arm behind his back, saying, "You'd better tell me who you are, or else that knife of yours will end up somewhere unpleasant." She didn't have to see his face to know that he was smiling. What she didn't count on was the dark miasma expelling from the houshi's body and into her own. Choking, Sango fell to her knees, dragging a now weakened Miroku along with her, her eyes watering and her body paralysed from such a large amount of shouki poisoning. Through her blurred vision, she saw a ghastly shape floating away from her, and closer towards Kohaku and the hanyou.

_Shit!_

It was too late as she struggled to stand to throw one of her chained weapons, only to find that another person had beaten her to it.

Sesshoumaru struck at the cursed creature with the Tenseiga, partly because it was almost second nature to use a katana, and mostly because he was livid. Livid enough that his eyes bled crimson red, and when he growled, it sounded unholy, sadistic.

The thing screamed as it was struck by his blade, a blade which gave life to the dead, something which Magatsuhi was not.

The Tai-youkai did not care, all he felt was pure rage, something he – a usually cold-hearted youkai – never felt before, and if using the Tenseiga to kill the horrid spirit worked, Sesshoumaru would have felt a lot better.

"What's the matter, Sesshoumaru? Angry?" Magatsuhi asked as his form became faint from Tenseiga's heavenly power.

"**Go to hell,"**he snarled, his face now resembling a fierce dog.

The dark spirit smiled, "Gladly." With one final laugh he disappeared into nothingness, gone, forever.

"What was that?" Sango whispered to herself, as she finally stood to her feet while helping Miroku up when he regained consciousness.

"Why does my arm hurt?" the houshi asked.

"I'm sorry, that was my fault. You were acting... strangely. More than usual, I mean." The slayer replied, blushing in embarrassment.

He looked at her while her face reddened, thinking that he had touched her somewhere inappropriate, but to go as far as to twist his arm, it didn't seem right. Miroku opened his mouth to speak, and then quickly shut it when he saw movement from the corner of his eye. Grabbing Sango's arm, he pointed to her brother, who was definitely moving.

Sango gasped, not believing what she saw, until she saw him lift himself up into a sitting position.

"Kohaku...?"

"Ane-ue..." In an instant, the boy was locked into a hug, though he had no idea why his sister was reacting in such a way. After all, he had only been knocked out, hadn't he?

"You're alive. Thank the kami." Sango said between tears. "I thought... when he...

"Alive? W-what do you mean? Was I –"Then it hit him, and Kohaku started to panic, raising his head to see if he was wrong.

"Kohaku..."

"Baka," he said, his tone quiet to hide the tremor in his voice. "Why did you have to do that stupid thing? You didn't have to get killed just to get that jewel fixed."

"Kohaku, you knew he was planning this?" Miroku asked.

The young slayer looked at him, appearing more tired than angry at the whole situation. "Inuyasha-san... he did nothing wrong, but somehow he got it into his head that everything that happened to you guys and the problems caused by the Shikon no Tama, he felt that it was his fault. He told me a long time ago, he wanted to fix everything, so that everything would be alright.

"I wasn't sure what he meant by that." A sour expression crossed his features, yet quickly disappeared when he let out a sniff, choosing to say no more.

Sango turned towards Miroku, and likewise he did the same, his blue eyes bright, excited by something he had discovered.

"Kami-sama, the Shikon no Tama, we have to get it back," he said, ignoring her confusion. "No, you don't understand, Sango, we have to get the jewel back. I think it may save him."

* * *

The ookami had awoken with the biggest headache he had ever experienced in his life. _Stupid houshi..._ Why he had to hit him over the head with his shakujou, he hadn't the slightest idea. Only that it hurt like fuck.

Rubbing the back of his head, he scanned the area, to find that no one was about, beside from the plentiful corpses of youkai long gone, and a human woman, a warrior, in the centre of it all. This was the miko, he supposed, who sacrificed her life to kill the youkai, resulting in the formation of the prized jewel, an object that was more troublesome than it was worth. Kagome was gone; Inuyasha was dead, and worst of all, Magatsuhi... Kouga shivered just thinking about him, and what he had done to his miko.

He clenched his fist and was about to storm out of the accursed cave, wanting revenge, when he noticed a glint amongst the dead youkai. Narrowing his eyes he waited, and sure enough, Kouga saw a pinkish shining object, almost hidden next to a rock. It seemed harmless as he gingerly picked it up, rolling the sphere between his fingers, watching it glitter like any other normal jewel, its warmth like Kagome's aura. A harmless thing yes, but he hadn't been counting on it being so dangerous, just a thing to grant one with limitless power, not make people vanish, or dead.

What was he supposed to do now? Kouga wondered. _Wait a minute..._

"D-don't you even think about it," a voice called out from somewhere inside the cave.

"Shippou...?! You finally decided to turn up?"

"I know what you're planning to do with it."

"And, what am I planning to do with it, runt?" the ookami asked. He didn't have time for this. "I don't have time for you." Then, out of frustration, Kouga shoved the kitsune to the ground, and then stalked out of the cave. It didn't take long for Shippou to follow him, though thankfully enough the boy kept his distance. Too bad he could still hear him, and he swore at himself for not hitting him harder. What was he going to do; he could hear Shippou ask him. The answer was simple.

"But you can't do that," he went on like a little child. "If you brought her back, you may not be bringing her."

"Stop talking in riddles." Kouga yelled, turning his head to glare at him with his ice blue eyes.

"It's not as simple as wishing her to come back. Surely you have heard those rumours about the Shikon on Tama. It's dangerous. It would grant you any wish, but then it would want something back. And even then, it may not be the thing you wanted in the first place."

"How do you know all this, Shippou?"

"I-I was just guessing," he admitted sheepishly. "But you don't have to know. You can see it."

For a long time, Kouga just stood there in silence, staring at the jewel in his hand. He had to admit, the runt's logic seemed rational, even if it was just guessing. Obviously he had been listening to too many of the good and evil stories from the houshi. What kind of youkai was he, to always take the side of human logic? In the end however, the ookami rolled his eyes and stormed off to find Miroku.

"Kouga?" the houshi asked, surprised to find that the youkai had returned so quickly.

"Here." He then shoved the jewel into his hands, all the while maintaining a nonchalant attitude.

"You are giving this to me?"

"Just do what you have to do and don't ask me anything more."

Miroku just stared at him, still disbelieving of his actions.

"Don't stare at me like that, bonzu. Isn't it enough that you hit me over the head?"

"I did?"

"Come on, Miroku, before he loses his good nature." Shippou said, pushing the confused houshi forward.

* * *

They arrived at the Youkai Taijiya village, to the hut where Sango and Kohaku had put the hanyou's body, so there would be no danger of unexpected attack. Both slayer's looked at him, silently wanting to know what he was about to do. In truth, he didn't have the faintest idea, but from what he learnt from Magatsuhi, Inuyasha had made some kind of wish, and for his price, he offered his soul to the Shikon no Tama in exchange, though it seemed there was something holding him back from death.

Exactly how he was going to get the hanyou back and Kagome for that matter; Miroku could only pray that he was doing the correct thing. If indeed his theory was correct. Anything was better than having to face the consequences of what they had created. He, and he was sure Sango and Shippou, wanted nothing more than to start rebuilding what friendship they had lost. But for that to happen, Inuyasha had to be alive.

"Houshi-sama, are you sure about this?" Sango asked, squeezing his shoulder.

"I hope so." While he wanted to place the jewel into his hand, Miroku spotted something red and what looked like a piece of string poking out of Inuyasha's kimono. Carefully taking it out, it turned out to be a red pouch with golden sakura embroidery. It wasn't new as it appeared to have been worn around Inuyasha's neck for a long time, and the fabric was frayed here and there. But what the houshi noticed was the name that was sewn into the pouch on the dirtied white fabric, and he knew that Sango had seen it too, by the way she gasped. Slowly, he loosened the string and saw a red ribbon inside it, but then quickly slipped the Shikon no Tama into the pouch, placing it over his heart.

"Now what?" Kohaku asked, after seeing the whole act unfold, and the way Miroku's hands shook after when he opened the small bag.

"Now, now we wait," he replied, finding Sango's hand to hold it in his own.

And so they did wait.


	59. Chapter 59

The characters of Inuyasha (manga and anime) belong to Takahashi Rumiko

The Journey Home – Chapter Fifty Nine

* * *

The days that passed by gradually turned into weeks, and before Kagome realised what was happening, she found herself sitting outside with her friends at the coffee shop, discussing what their plans were going to be for the summer holidays. Had it been that long since she came back to the modern era, and with no way to go back? It all seemed like a dream now, as if she really hadn't gone to Sengoku jidai, despite every night jumping into the Bone Eater's well without hesitation, and trying to dig an even bigger hole into the earth, only to end up in tears by the time she went to bed.

But she had been there; it was a mantra she repeated every time she felt alone, even if she was physically not. Why couldn't anyone understand what she had been through? _I suppose they wouldn't... _Kagome had been the only one who had been able to go back the feudal era, and now she had no proof that she had been there, nothing to show for all of her troubles, except for many lingering memories. Except that the lingering memories she had of the past were simply that, just memories, just a figment of her imagination, as her family often pointed out so plainly.

"What are you going to do for the summer break, Kagome-chan?" Her friends asked.

Did it really matter? It was just the holidays, nothing special.

"Nothing," she replied, half-heartedly.

"What's the matter with you?" Eri chimed in, "You weren't like this before. Well... not as bad as the times you had those spats with your foreigner boyfriend. By the way, what happened between the two of you? Is it true? I've heard you were spending a lot of time with Hojou-kun lately, and we thought something might have happened."

"Nothing's happened. What makes you think that? And if you must know, spending time with Hojou-kun is not having a date with Hojou-kun."

The three girls looked at each other, the same thought going through their minds. Kagome always had the habit of trying to dismiss the obvious, saying that a date wasn't a date when it was obviously a date.

Kagome sighed, not noticing the silent words being passed between her friends. It was typical of them to always think that she was going out with Hojou. Even back then when they were in junior high school they couldn't stop with their assumptions on whom she had feelings for, and how they kept on telling her to stop seeing the rebellious, two-timing jerk of a teenager. She supposed that it was sometimes her fault, for always putting him in a bad light, because he really wasn't that bad, only sometimes rebellious, and he really wasn't a two-timer either – from what she read in all the gossip magazines, he was practically a saint. Not to say that he was all good. He was still a jerk, but not always.

And now, Kagome couldn't see him anymore.

_I can't see him... anymore..._ The corners of her eyes began to sting as she felt the first sign of tears threatening to fall down her face, though she did her best to be rid of them before anyone could notice. All this time, trying to go through the well and into Sengoku jidai, she was beginning to feel that it really was hopeless to go back, either that, or the kami was showing her some kind of sign that there would be no point in going back. The proof lied in the big hole she had dug up in vain at the bottom of the well. Fate was cruel like that, just like the pain she was experiencing in her heart at that moment, the pain of hopelessness, a quiet acknowledgment that there was nothing she could do about it.

"I'm going home," she announced, standing up before her friends could say anything in protest. She didn't feel right, her heart was hurting, and she had the biggest headache. Kagome just wanted everything to go away and leave her alone.

So she left to walk home, leaving her friends behind to wonder why their friend was acting in such a way. They knew it was probably because the young woman was still recovering from her hospitalisation – somehow it was something that they were expecting, seeing how in their younger school life, Kagome had the habit of having every kind of sickness known to mankind. What they didn't understand, was though it was usual for her to have some sort of ailment, it was also usual for her to come to school and act as if nothing happened. Now when they looked at her, all they saw was someone who had their mind in a different place, and was refusing to return to the real world.

"She must still be sick," Ayumi said, getting up to go after her, but her footsteps were quickly halted when Eri took hold of her arm, shaking her head to say not to follow the young woman.

* * *

Kagome's mood didn't improve as the day went on, nor did it get any worse, and yet it somehow made her family worry, especially her mother, who could only watch her daughter gaze blankly out the window and sigh every now and then. It was true that she saw her smile and kept good pace with their conversations, however it was when her daughter thought she was not looking, she realised the reality.

She had found her one day, in the middle of the night, huddled up next to the old well in sorrowful tears, for how long she had been there she could not fathom.

"Kagome..." she said, afraid to go above a whisper.

"Mama, why can't I go back?"

It was a question she could not answer, not without making her more distraught than she already was.

"You had a long day. Why don't you come back inside, Kagome? You can't stay out here all night."

Eventually, the two women went back inside the house, the older woman's arm supporting the younger as she continued to weep silently. Kagome didn't even seem to notice as her mother tucked her into bed, where she cradled her gently until she fell asleep, while murmuring words into her ear, telling her that everything would be alright.

She only wished her daughter would realise the same. Kagome had tried her best to go back to the other world. She had seen her spend countless of nights going through the scrolls with her grandfather, a task which he was more than happy to oblige. She had seen her jumping into the well on every other day, and then after crying out of frustration, proceeded to dig at the ground in an attempt to get through. It was hard for her to see her daughter like this, once so filled with bubbly energy, now to be reduced to a young woman who appeared not entirely interested with the world.

"You shouldn't do this to yourself. Everyone is worried about you," she said to the sleeping girl. How she wished Kagome would still be awake to hear her words, dreadful though it may have sounded later on. Mama Higurashi would have told her not to spend so much time trying to go back when it was obvious she could not, and come back to them, to where she belonged.

Letting go of a single tear, she then apologised, leaving her daughter to sleep.

* * *

"Kagome," she heard her mother say as she set a breakfast tray in front of her. "Let's go and do some shopping."

For some reason, this announcement surprised Kagome. Not because her mother had said she wanted for them to go shopping together, it was the fact she found it so strange that her own mother had said it. Her mother wasn't the type to declare a shopping trip when the general mood was down; Mama Higurashi was more of the quiet woman, hardworking and always supportive, and more often than not, would rather talk about problems while sitting in a quiet spot in the garden, not indulge in retail therapy. Still, it was better than mulling around in the house feeling miserable, knowing there was no reason to be. Well… according to everyone else, that is, as Kagome wished she had some more time alone to mull and be miserable around the house. Yet the hopeful look on her mother's face told her to agree with the proposal, or else be faced with a look of pity from the older woman's face for the rest of the day.

"I just thought it would be nice to get out of the house for a while. We haven't spent a lot of time together, have we? Well, what do you think of that? It's such a nice colour, such beautiful fabrics they have nowadays." She held up the piece of clothing for Kagome to see, and was somewhat relieved when her daughter smiled back, if only a little.

"It's nice Mama."

"It'll look good on you. The colour goes nicely with your eyes."

"But, Mama… I don't…" but no matter how much Kagome quietly protested, the fashionable blouse was bought, and was now lying neatly folded in the shopping bag. "You really didn't have to…" she tried again, when her mother tried to coax her into looking at a skirt, obviously a perfect fit to match her recently bought blouse.

"But it looks so cute on you."

Kagome looked at the skirt again, and blinked. It did look cute, and it went especially well with the handbag with the big bow on it. Those peep-toe wedges that were being displayed weren't bad either, in fact, she loved them.

She smiled at her purchases, before realising what she had done.

"That was fun wasn't it?" her mother asked, enjoying her lunch, and not noticing her daughter's look of horror as she checked and double checked the prices on her receipt. "I never remembered when I had so much fun. We should do it more often."

"Mama, about that, you didn't have to go through all that trouble of paying for all of it."

"Well, you did pay for those shoes."

Kagome's face reddened in guilt. "Th-that's not the point. I just don't think it was necessary. We could have just talked about it."

"About what?" her mother asked, but then sighed when she could see that her daughter was going to refuse to let the topic go. "Kagome, I'm sorry. I was just trying to cheer you up. Ever since you woke up from that coma, you haven't been the same. I wanted you to be happy again. So I thought, why not? You needed to have some fun, some distraction, like all the girls your age do when something… like this happens. Separation is such a terrible thing."

"Yes…" Mama Higurashi's cheery tone somehow unsettled the young woman. Far from disapproving, she found that she didn't really like her mother's happy attitude. Why did she have to be happy all of a sudden, while she had to be so miserable? It wasn't fair. And why did she have to mention separation as being a terrible thing? What did that have to do with anything? Everyone had been saying that she had simply woken up from a coma. So why would she say such a thing? Oh well, it wasn't her place to complain, anyway, her mother had every right to be happy. Everyone else was happy.

_Everyone is so bloody happy, except me…_

An exclamation from her mother caused Kagome to stop sipping idly at her coffee. She looked up to see what she was looking at, but what she saw made her gasp out so loudly, she nearly choked on the hot drink.

"That's the ugliest man I have ever seen," her mother said, holding a hand to her mouth in a poor attempt to hide her giggles, almost making Kagome fall out of her chair.

"Mama, why'd you go and say that out loud, he probably heard us." Maybe it was just her, but something odd was happening. Exactly what it was, she didn't quite know, and yet this strange feeling didn't disappear, even as she tried to reason with herself that she was probably tired. She had been feeling tired lately, and the headaches were still there…

However, what she actually couldn't stand was her mother's outburst. It was embarrassing.

"Besides, I wasn't looking at him." Kagome said, pointing to the tall man standing beside him. He cut an elegant figure, she admitted to herself, though it was when she saw his face, his cold golden eyes, it was a sight that really made her unsettled. _I… Do I know him…?_

As she continued to stare in his direction, the man seemed to notice, turning his eyes to face her with a piercing look, before turning away with what appeared to be an expression of disdain.

"Why you…" Kagome fumed, standing up when she saw him about to enter into his silver car. With the coffee cup still in her grasp, she flung it straight to the back of the car, where the cup smashed, and yet the vehicle remained undamaged, save for bits of ceramic and brown liquid dribbling down the back of the car.

It was the result she had wanted, and she smiled when she saw him step out of his car, his form moving gracefully closer and closer towards her, until he was dangerously in her personal space.

Yet, Kagome did not move, despite the chill he had created, spreading it to the other people that surrounded her, as they too, began to notice this man of long silvery hair, and his eyes, cold, and unamused by this little girl's childish antics.

"Did you throw that?" he asked.

Kagome nearly flinched at his calmness, but she was glad when her voice didn't shake when she replied with a stern, "Yes. Yes, I did throw that. And I hope the coffee stains your luxury car."

"No, I suppose it will survive. You, on the other hand," and he swiftly made a grab for her throat, suspending her in mid-air with one arm alone, "might be a little difficult to wash off."

"Is that a threat?" Kagome asked, fully aware that his hand was at her throat, ready to squeeze.

"Well, that would depend on how easy you make it for me." He then grinned, a grin that would have made others shrivel with fear, except for Kagome, who was by this time, too worked up to notice, especially when the man's face turned into delight.

Murderous delight…

"Oh, but my dear lady," he continued, this time addressing Kagome's mother as well, "I am just trying to ask your _delightful daughter _ on why she must pester me, either that, or you can both watch me popping her head off."

"Kagome!"

The panic in her mother's voice triggered a sense of real fear within the young woman, consequently causing her to gulp loudly. What a day this was turning out to be. Though, it seemed the man was not impressed by her reaction at all, unceremoniously dropping her onto the ground before she could manage a reaction. Holding her hand up to rub her neck, Kagome glared at him.

"How pathetic you are. Attacking me without knowing why you are doing it."

"Wh-what do you mean by that?"

"Do you even know who I am?"

Kagome just stared at him, suddenly unable to answer his very simple question. Worse still, a certain terror rose from within her heart as she continued to be caught in his gaze. Of course she knew who this man was, the answer was obvious, and yet her mind faltered, as if it wasn't sure if it would be correct. More like her thoughts remained in a haze, enough to make her disorientated. All she could do was to watch the man look down at her with indifference, no doubt thinking how pathetic she was, on the ground, so beneath him.

"So pathetic, go home, there is nothing for you here."

"How rude," her mother said as she helped her daughter up to her feet, after the man left with his chauffeur, driving off down the street in his silver car.

However, Kagome appeared not to have heard, the words from the man having made an impact on her. Go home? She was home…

Wasn't she?

The more she thought about it, the more it puzzled her, until the young woman, all of a sudden, and without warning, heaved in pain. Though it lasted a few seconds, the pain in her chest left her feeling numb, and so for the rest of the trip home, Mama Higurashi had to hold her up to help her walk, the most strangest experience she had in her life. Just what was wrong with her?

It was a thought that wouldn't leave her, even as she tried to get to sleep, yet all she ended up doing was to toss and turn in bed trying to get comfortable. Still she lay awake – quite aware of the time mockingly saying that it was three in the morning – staring listlessly at the window, hoping that sleep would come to claim her. A soft breeze blew at the curtains, making the moonlit room seem to dance eerily. She let out a sigh, wanting the night to be over. Though, somehow the colour of the light provided some comfort. It made her forget her worries, the strange pains that seemed to inflict her now and then were still there, but at least they didn't paralyse her, unlike that embarrassing incident from before. That was the worst one she had felt so far. Kagome couldn't really understand it; she was too young to have chest pains.

Finally, the young woman growled in frustration, the ongoing thoughts in her head causing her to be more awake, preventing her from sleep.

"It's not fair…," she muttered, throwing back the covers, and then hopping out of bed. Looking out the window, she closed her eyes for a moment, allowing the breeze to flow over her skin, before opening them again to look at the world in front of her, her ordinary life.

Things were back to normal she supposed, the world was moving on, whether she liked it or not.

Perhaps it was time she did so too.

* * *

"How are you today, dear?" her mother asked the next morning.

"Better, I think," although Kagome certainly didn't feel it.

"That's good. Oh, you better hurry, or you'll be late for work."

"Right, bye," Kagome replied, running out the door, and hurriedly slipping into her heels for another day working at the office. Not that she was too enthusiastic about it, as she burst through the frosted glass doors of the office, sweaty and hot, and breathing in deep breaths in order to calm down her racing heart, much to the surprised looks of her work colleagues.

"Higurashi-san, this is the first time you've been late," and then her voice fell to a whisper. "The boss is not too happy about it. He has that presentation to give after lunch, and those slides have to be done."

"Well, he has to live with doing his own work for a change." Kagome replied, striding into the boss' office without knocking, announcing her arrival, and then before her boss could say anything, she presented him with his precious presentation, all ready to go.

"Uh, very good work, Higurashi," said her boss. "But next time, do knock before you enter. Other managers may not appreciate a subordinate, a woman no less, to burst into their offices any time they wished, especially when they had arrived late in the first place."

"Yes, sir, I'll try to remember next time." Kagome answered, resisting the urge to roll her eyes until after she made sure the doors had truly closed behind her.

"Well, how did it go?" the same woman asked, feeling nervous for Kagome.

"You know me; I'm used to these sorts of deadlines." With that said, Kagome, the personal assistant, headed off to her desk, her mind set for the day's tasks.

The hours flew by, another monotonous day of typing, answering emails, and the steady stream of clients that needed to be shown in, Kagome was glad it was over. Packing some files into her briefcase to take home, she nearly jumped when she heard a ring on her mobile phone.

'Hi, Higurashi,' the text message began. "Would you like to go out for dinner and a movie?'

_Hojou-kun… _Kagome blinked at the message, wondering for a few seconds whether it would be worth her time to go or not.

'Sure, why not?' she tapped in before sending it. It was just like Hojou, always coming in at the right time to distract her from the real world for a few hours. And right now she needed a distraction, anything to get away from work, her boss, and the annoying work colleagues who gossiped more than worked. The bane of office life, she supposed, as she checked her appearance in the washroom mirror, smiling while applying her lipstick, and then sighed, not really liking what she saw in the mirror.

"You look beautiful, Higurashi," Hojou said, handing her a small bouquet of fresh, colourful flowers.

Kagome simply smiled at his compliment. It was just like him, saying the right things at the right time; either that or her red lipstick was doing wonders to her looks.

"You know, Higurashi. We've known each other for a long time, and I thought it was a good time to ask you."

_Uh oh… _For all the good the young man did for her, this was the one thing that made her nervous. Just the sweet way he looked at her, kind and genuine, it was enough for Kagome to start thinking about running away. She was well aware of the question he was hinting at, he had been hinting at it for a long time.

"For at least five years," Hojou laughed.

Had it really been five years? Surely he had only tried to ask her but a few days ago.

"Are you alright? You went a bit pale for a second there. It… it is too early to ask, isn't it?"

Poor, kind Hojou… He was too good for her, while she always had the habit of stringing him on, only to lead him into… well – she was ashamed to admit it – abandoning him, of sorts.

"I'm sorry, Hojou-kun. It's my fault. I didn't mean to make you wait that long. But…"

"You… want more time to think about it."

She could hear the slight quiver in his voice, which made her feel even more guilty by the fact that he was probably so used to her rejection, it didn't seem to bother him anymore.

"No… I… I think it would be best if I went home."

The man seemed to comprehend, if somewhat reluctantly, as he escorted her out of the restaurant. They both chose to remain silent while he drove her home, although the silence was not an uncomfortable one, something that Kagome was thankful for, the last thing they needed was for them to end the night in awkwardness.

"Perhaps another time then?" he then asked, hopefully, looking towards her when they were at the end of their trip.

"Oh yes, anytime. It's nice to have you around. Someone who thinks I'm still worth hanging around."

"Now you know that's not true. I'm more surprised that you keep accepting to go out with me," and at this, he sighed. "Well, anyway, maybe next time."

They parted ways at the shrine steps, with Kagome waving goodbye as Hojou drove off. Then, turning her head to face the hundred or so steps, she slowly forced herself up the concrete stairs. Once upon a time, she would have flown up them with the energy of a small child, and yet now…

_Fly…_

Kagome's feet stopped with a sudden jolt, her eyebrows furrowing while she looked at the stairs behind her, wondering why the thought of flying made her shiver uncontrollably. What would it be like to fly, to soar above the forests without a care in the world, and to feel the winds rush through her, unable to keep up with her speed. It wasn't the simple wish to suddenly want wings and fly away from this place. This feeling felt much more than that, more than a dream. It was as if she had done it before.

A big grin appeared on her face as she raced to the top of the stairs, imagining just that, ignoring the fact that people may be watching her childish antics. She didn't care; this was something she wanted to do right now, and a few minutes later, she reached to the top of the shrine steps, feeling more refreshed than she ever had been. The house now stood in the distance, the lights in the house indicating that someone was still awake, probably awaiting for her arrival. However, that was not what caught the young woman's gaze, because there before her, stood an enormous tree, the Goshinboku. The eldest of trees which surrounded their shrine, and the most magical, at least that was what her grandfather told her anyway. But even Kagome could not fail to feel a certain power from within the tree, its many branches spreading out, welcoming and safe, tempting her to come closer towards its fold.

She had many fond memories of this tree, it was always the only constant in her growing, and ever changing life, a place of refuge, comfort, and strength when things didn't appear to go her way. Her mother had once told her that this tree was very special for them all. A sentiment she heartily agreed with. A place of memories, and only memories…

Sighing, her smile fell a little when she noticed a blemish on the great tree. More than a blemish, it looked as though a whole piece of bark had been ripped off, or burnt off, she couldn't really tell. Why hadn't she seen this before?

Walking towards the Goshinboku, Kagome found that she could not keep her eyes off it. She was mesmerised by its shape, by how it appeared in the first place without anyone's knowledge, and by how unusually familiar it was. Hot tears began to fill her eyes, and she quickly tried to wipe them away, unable to understand why such a thing would make her cry, though it was probably something silly on her part. Blinking in a futile attempt to stop the tears, she swore that her blurred vision was playing tricks on her, for there on the sacred tree now, was an image of something red.

_Blood…?_

Curiosity overcame her as she neared it, although for some reason, her head had started to spin, each throb increasing in intensity with each step. Attempting to ignore her headache, she continued forward until a sharp pain ripped through her chest, causing her to double over in agony. She grunted, all the while cursing to all the kami who thought it would be funny to play such a cruel game with her. It was ridiculous, how could she be having a heart attack at a time like this? Or was it something else? Not that she really cared; it felt like she was dying either way.

"No, I had enough of this! All these headaches and chest pains! I'm sick of it! I'm not even nearly forty yet, you idiots!" She stumbled forward, the thump, thump, thumping in her heart incessantly pounding loudly in her ears. Looking up and through her burning tears, the image of red had become slightly clearer, much to her added confusion.

"Who… who are you?" she asked the boy, who appeared slumped against the tree. He was a strange looking person, who wore a kimono of such a red, it contrasted well with the greenery around him. His hair was also unusual, long and white, like a character from an old Chinese legend. Kagome then winced, nearly collapsing from dizziness, only managing to grab onto his clothes to prevent herself from falling. _He is real…_ Amazed, she took a closer look at his features, paying particular attention to his ears. She touched them, but then quickly withdrew her hands, fearing that one touch wouldn't be enough. She then touched his face, and her hands reacted in the same way, but not because it was cold and lifeless. It was because she recognised his face.

She knew him, she did, nonetheless what really shocked her was that until this time, she had forgotten about him and her life on the other side of the well.

She had forgotten about him…

Yet it all came back now, her memories, vivid flashes pulsating wildly before her eyes, each one of them causing her energy to be drained, each one of them painful, like her soul being torn from her body.

"Inuyasha!" as soon as the word left her mouth, she found her hand holding onto something she thought she would never have to see again. "Inuyasha, don't worry, I'll take this arrow out, and… and then we can go home."

"Why?" a voice behind her made her jump, and a chill run down her spine.

"Mama…?" the young woman said through her tears.

"You are home, Kagome. Why do you want to leave us again, your family?"

"I didn't mean it in that way," she insisted.

"You're going to leave again, for the boy."

"He's not the _boy_. His name is Inuyasha."

"So what?" and at this, Kagome shivered by the cold calmness of her mother's voice, if that was indeed her mother talking. "He's gone, and soon, you too, shall share the same fate."

The earth shifted before Kagome could respond, the ground beneath her feet from where she stood, softening and crumbling with every movement, alarmingly so. Frantically, she tried to grab onto the hanyou's kimono, yet to her horror, she saw him sink into the black darkness, slipping from her fingers as she desperately called out to him to awaken.

"Please, wake up," she pleaded, her breathing becoming constricted when the shrine and the house melted into nothing, falling around them as they too fell.

And the last thing she saw when the world around them collapsed into murkiness, was another familiar face, but only his face, pale and menacing, and surrounded by spider webs.

He smiled at her.

* * *

Gee, how long has it been? LOL! Anyway I was planning to make this the final chapter, but you know how things are, one has more things to write. However the next will be the final chapter, hopefully. :) I hope you enjoy the latest chapter, even though you probably forgotten how the story goes.


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